Die betroubaarheid en geldigheid van die persoonlike oriëntasievraelys vir universiteitstudente

Abstract

Man as an individual is in a constant process of growth by means of which he strives to optimalize his potential. This process of psychological optimality refers to a person's transcending to a unique unity of experience regarding his work, his interpersonal relations and his religious attitude. The psychometric test used in the industry to measure psychological optimality is the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI). Investigations overseas concerning the reliability and validity of the POI yielded positive results. Apart from research in 1994, no further reliability and validity investigations regarding the use of the POI in South Africa could be identified. Consequently there is uncertainty about the use of the POI as a measuring instrument for psychological optimality under South African conditions. The aim of this research was to conceptualize from the literature, psychological optimality as defined by the humanists and to describe theoretically, the personality traits of a psychologically optimal functioning person.

The correlational design was used as model for the research. The experimental group was selected by means of an availability sample and consisted of university students. The measuring instruments applied for this research were the POI, the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire and the Locus of Control Questionnaire. The empirical investigation was aimed at establishing the reliability and validity of the POI for use on university students. The reliability of the POI was established by means of internal consistency during which reliability coefficients of between 0,24 and 0, 75 were attained. From the results it is evident that the POI can only be accepted as reliable concerning certain scales. Regarding the validity of the POI, Pearson's product moment correlations were explained. From the results it is evident that the POI has a reasonable degree of validity.