Psychometric Evaluation of the Career Values Survey Among Middle School Students: Evidence from Nonparametric and Rasch Analyses

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  In Roundtable Session: Diverse Applications of the Rasch Model

Abstract

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Career Values Survey (CVS) among 40 middle school students using Mokken Scale Analysis and Rasch modeling. Grounded in Goal Congruity Theory, the CVS was developed to assess agentic and communal work values during early adolescence. Mokken analysis supported item scalability and a coherent value hierarchy, while Rasch modeling confirmed ordered response categories, good item fit, and strong person-separation reliability. Both methods provided converging evidence of structural validity and highlighted areas for refinement. Findings support the CVS as a reliable, theory-informed measure of students’ career value orientations and contribute to the development of equity-focused tools for early career exploration in STEM education.

Authors

• Justice Dadzie, University of Alabama

• Daniel O. Oyeniran, University of Alabama

• Joni M. Lakin, University of Alabama