Introduction of the Hirebright Cognitive Ability Test (H-CAT) as pre-employment measure in South Africa: Content and Convergent Validity

Swanepoel, Lizette; Grobler, Yolanda; de Klerk, Susan · 2020 · DOAJ

DOI: 10.17159/2130-3833/2020/vol50no2a2

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Summary

This study addresses the need for a validated, locally developed cognitive assessment tool for pre-employment screening in South Africa. While General Cognitive Ability (GCA) and executive functions are established predictors of job performance and injury prevention, existing instruments were either unavailable locally, culturally biased, or cost-prohibitive. To address this, the authors developed the Hirebright Cognitive Ability Test (H-CAT), an internet-based instrument measuring logical, verbal, and abstract reasoning. The study’s primary objective was to evaluate the content and convergent validity of the H-CAT to determine its suitability for clinical use in vocational rehabilitation. The methodology comprised two phases. First, content validity was assessed using Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) ratings. Five occupational therapy experts with significant clinical experience rated the 45 items of the H-CAT on a three-point scale (-1, 0, +1) regarding their alignment with GCA constructs. Second, convergent validity was evaluated using a retrospective, cross-sectional design. The researchers analyzed data from the Hirebright database for 20 individuals who had completed both the H-CAT and the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM), a validated non-verbal reasoning test. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated between the raw scores of the two instruments to determine the strength of the relationship. The results demonstrated strong psychometric properties for the H-CAT. In the content validity phase, 43 of the 45 items achieved IOC values between 0.60 and 0.80, exceeding the threshold for satisfactory validity (>0.50). Only two items in the logic reasoning section fell below this threshold. In the convergent validity phase, a strong positive linear correlation was found between the H-CAT and Raven SPM raw scores (r = 0.89, p = 0.00). This high correlation indicates that the H-CAT measures the same construct as the established Raven SPM. The sample for the convergent validity analysis consisted primarily of young adults (55% aged 20–29) with tertiary education, predominantly working in or applying for information technology roles. The study concludes that the H-CAT possesses acceptable content validity and strong convergent validity for assessing general cognitive ability in a South African context. By providing a low-cost, non-verbal, and locally normed alternative to expensive international tests, the H-CAT offers occupational therapists and employers a viable tool for pre-employment screening. The findings support the use of the H-CAT to predict job performance and training success, particularly for professional occupations. However, the authors note limitations regarding the small sample size and the homogeneity of the educational background in the convergent validity phase, suggesting that further validation across diverse occupational groups is warranted.

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• individual differences