Test Construction & Validation
The B-PAD Testing Procedure and Scoring
1. The Validity of B-PAD as a Measure of Problem-Solving Skills
2. The Validity of B-PAD as a Measure of Interpersonal Skills
3. The Validity of B-PAD as a Measure of Expected Job Performance
4. B-PAD and Adverse Impact On Women & Minorities
5. The Effect of Job Experience On B-PAD Scores
6. The Effect of Practice On B-PAD Scores
7. B-PAD's Correlation With Observed Competencies in the Police Academy
8. The Validity of B-PAD as a Measure of Supervision & Management Skills
9. The Validity of B-PAD as a Measure of Ability to Function As Part of a Team
10. The Effect of Fire/EMS Job Experience on B-PAD Scores
The Effect of Fire/EMS Job Experience on B-PAD Scores
Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an applicantÕs prior fire suppression or emergency medical job experience on B-PAD Overall Effectiveness (Scale 3) scores. It was hypothesized that prior job-relevant training and/or experience would provide no advantage to applicants. This finding would be consistent with previous studies of police applicants showing that B-PAD scores are not a function of job-specific work experience.
Methodology and Subjects This study involved the administration of B-PAD for Fire/EMS to 502 firefighter/paramedic applicants to a large metropolitan fire department in the Northwest. B-PAD scores were determined by 3-person rater panels. The raters were not informed of the applicants' prior work experience. The scores were used in making selection decisions. The experienced applicants (those candidates having one month or more of previous work experience as a paid firefighter, volunteer firefighter, or paramedic) had an average 45.53 months of experience (N = 381; SD = 41.17). The subjects' experience ranged from 1 month to 302 months. There were 121 applicants with no prior experience or job training.
Results The correlation between months of experience and B-PAD score was not statistically significant (r = .096, p > .05). The difference in the mean B-PAD score of the experienced candidates (mean = 22.48; SD = 4.51) and the non-experienced candidates (mean = 22.30; SD = 4.90) was not statistically significant (p > .10).
Conclusion The results support the findings from previous studies of police applicants showing that B-PAD scores are not a function of prior job-specific work experience. The data also support the conclusion that the interpersonal skills and judgment of experienced job applicants cannot be assumed to be greater than those of non-experienced applicants.