United States Department of Transportation
i
Development, Validation, and Fairness of a Biographical Data Questionnaire for the Air Traffic Control Specialist Occupation
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2012-12-01
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Abstract:Development and validation of a biographical data (“biodata”) instrument for selection into the Air Traffic
Control Specialist occupation is described. Bootstrapping was used to estimate correlations between item
responses to the Applicant Background Assessment (ABA; 142 items; n=266), Biographical Questionnaire (BQ;
145 items; n=482), and average supervisory job performance ratings. Scoring keys were developed for the most
predictive 80, 100, and 120 items from the instruments. Reliabilities for the proposed scales ranged from .74 to
.78. Criterion-related validities were .59, .62, and .63 for the 80-, 100-, and 120-item versions, respectively.
Each version of the biodata scale had significant incremental validity over the AT-SAT composite score,
accounting for 29% to 32% additional variance in average job performance ratings. Score distributions and cutscores by race and sex were investigated. Differences (d) in mean scores by gender and ethnicity were generally
low (ranging from -.08 to .37). Finally, cut score analyses were performed to examine pass rates of demographic
subgroups using banding and percentiles.
Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that the 80-item biodata scale, renamed the Controller
Background Assessment Survey (CBAS), be further developed as a potential ATCS selection procedure.
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