An analysis of the occupational interests and aptitudes of the high school seniors of St. Mary's Academy, Pasay City

• Main Author: Firaza, Maria Dominga B.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1975
• Subjects: Prediction of scholastic success; Vocational guidance; Counseling
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/320
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study seeks to answer the following questions : 1) How do the OLMAT, DAT, and NCEE scores correlate with the students' final grades in English and trigonometry, final grade point average (FGPA), and high school rank (HSR)? 2) Is mental ability as measured by the OLMAT related to the aptitudes of the subjects as measured by the DAT and NCEE? 3) Do the OLMAT and NCEE subtests measure the same characteristics? 4) What are the occupational interests of the subjects as reflected in the BOPI? 5) Is mental ability as measured by the OLMAT, DAT, and NCEE related to the occupational interests of the subjects? 6) What subtests in the DAT and NCEE correlate best with their occupational interests? and 7) How do the occupational interests of the subjects correlate with their final grades in English and trigonometry, FGPA and HSR? The subjects in this study were 108 high school senior girls of St. Mary's Academy, Pasay City during the school year 1973-74. The instruments used in the study were the Otis-Lennon mental ability test (OLMAT) form J, Differential aptitude tests (DAT), Brainard occupational preference Inventory (BOPI), and National College Entrance Examination (NCEE). The data on the four other variables used in this study, namely, the subjects' final grades in English and trigonometry, FGPA, and HSR were gathered from the school's registrar's office. These four variables together with the OLMAT score, scores of the 6 broad occupational fields of the BOPI, scores of the 6 subtests of the NCEE, and 8 subtests of the DAT comprised the 25 variables contained in the echo print of input data. The simple correlation coefficients were obtained from the computed output of 25 x 25 correlation matrix. Means, variances and coefficients of variations of the students' scores in OLMAT, DAT and NCEE were computed. The variability in abilities and aptitudes was expressed in terms of the coefficient of variation. Percentile ranks on the DAT and BOPI were likewise obtained and frequency distributions were prepared. The findings of the study showed that the OLMAT, DAT and NCEE scores correlated highly and positively with the students' final grades in English and Trigonometry, FGPA, and HSR. The OLMAT score and the DAT and NCEE scores were found to correlate highly except for DAT MR and NCEE AR and Math which showed positive but moderate correlations. The DAT and NCEE subtests appeared to measure the same characteristics. Of the 6 broad occupational fields, the scientific field attracted majority of the students. The commercial field was ranked second and the mechanical field ranked third followed by the professional, esthetic, and personal service fields. It was also found that the subjects' mental ability as measured by the OLMAT, DAT (VR + NA) and NCEE (GSA) did not manifest strong relationship with their occupational interests. Of the 6 broad occupational fields, only aesthetic was found to have positive correlations with certain subtests of the DAT and NCEE. The HSR, FGPA, and final grades in English and trigonometry as a whole did not show high correlations with the BOPI scores. This finding showed that interests in occupational fields were not influenced solely by aptitudes and abilities.