Stability of Measured Kuder Interests in Young Adults

E. K. Strong, Jr. has pointed out that "Guidance in terms of interest assumes that interests are fairly permanent. " In the case of the Strong Vocational Interest Test it has been shown that scores "are surprisingly stable, the average correlation over a ten-year period being . 75. Interests change somewhat between 15 and 23 years of age, one-third of the change occurr ing between 15. 5 and 16. 5 years, one-third between 16. 5 and 18 years, and the remainder between 18 and 23 years. " (6, p. 605). Although the Kuder Preference Record is widely used, there have not appeared much published data concerning the stability of Kuder scores over appreciable intervals. This is in contrast to the extensive studies of stability of the Strong Vocational In terest Test by its author (7) as well as by P. S. Burnham (1), K. vF. Taylor and H.D. Carter (10) (3), and A.C. Van Dusen (.14). Several such studies have also been made of the Allport Vernon Test for Personal Values by its authors (2), by P. L. Whiteley (15) (16), and by E. Duffy (5). Of course, the Kuder Preference Record is relatively a new interest measure. Nev ertheless, it seems desirable to investigate rather than to sup pose stability of measured Kuder interests. In the guidance activities of the author, curiosity concerning Kuder profiles and their stability emerged. In the course of student personnel work there were occasions when it was poss ible to compare recent Kuder interest profiles with profiles obtained by the same student under V. A. testing a year or more earlier. In one instance the interest pattern obtained 2-1/2 years later closely approximated the earlier. In another extreme instance there appeared no agreement whatsoever.