Personality and performance: attributes of effective residential child care workers

Better than age, experience, or education, this research found that personality characteristics differentiated child care workers from the general population. Ten of the 16 primary 16PF scores were significantly different and generally described an altruistic but assertive and venturesome propensity to manage others. The linear specification equation that summarized these personality differences also differentiated most from least effective child care workers: Low scores were associated with dependence and "job/person mismatch"; high-scores were associated with independence and assertiveness and, sometimes, unmanageability and "incompatible attitudes." Five 16PF factors differentiated most from least effective child care workers: Warmth (A+), intelligence (B+), assertiveness (E+), social reservation (H-), and conservatism (Q1-). Although child care workers were significantly bolder (H+) than the general population, especially effective child care workers were less bold and radical than their less effective colleagues. Both analyses identified traits similar to those that Mufson found and suggested that personality characteristics were significantly related to performance. The liner specification equation predicted correctly 63% of the time; the discriminant analysis, 70%. These equaled the classification criteria reported by supervisors from at least two agencies. Since the adjusted multiple r2 was about .25, one must wonder about the influence of other, unknown factors. Interrater reliability and varying agency performance standards may have been among those. The authors have used the 16PF for several years at the United Methodist Children's Home with very encouraging results. Although not used to select or screen applicants, the 16PF has been very helpful in reconsidering applicants who interviewed poorly or confirming those who interviewed well.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)