Black-white differences on the Strong Interest Inventory General Occupational Themes and Basic Interest Scales at...

Black-white differences on the Strong Interest Inventory were examined for a heterogeneous sample of 756 Whites and 85 Blacks aged 16 to 65 years. Multivariate and univariate analyses of variance and covariance were conducted. Race, gender, and IQ were independent variables; the six Holland General Occupational Themes and the 23 Basic Interest Scales were dependent variables; and educational attainment was the covariate. All interactions were nonsignificant, but race was consistently a significant main effect. In general, Whites scored higher than Blacks on Realistic and Investigative themes and scales, and Blacks scored higher in the Social, Enterprising, and Conventional areas. These findings were viewed in the context of counselors' and psychologists' roles in interpreting interest pattern of Black individuals.