The Prediction of Success of Three Ethnic Groups in the Academic Components of a Nursing-Training Program At a Large Metropolitan Hospital

Abstract

Concerned with the prediction of success in the academic components of a nursing-training program conducted in a large metropolitan hospital, this study involved the determination of the relationship between each of 15 predictor variables (primarily reflecting cognitive abilities and studies skills) and each of 13 criterion measures representing course grades and scores on the National League for Nursing Achievement Tests. For each of 3 samples of 223 Caucasians, 73 Mexican-Americans, and 67 Negroes, validity coefficients of individual predictor variables and of composites of predictor variables were obtained along with an identification of rotated factors common to predictor variables and criterion measures. In general, higher validity coefficients both of individual predictor variables and of optimally weighted composites of these variables were obtained for the sample of Caucasians than for either one of the other two ethnic groups. A measure of reading vocabulary was the single most valid predictor variable for all three samples. For all three ethnic groups, similar factorial dimensions emerged to describe the interrelationships obtained among the predictor and criterion variables.EDUCATIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT 1976, 36, 421-431.

The Relationship Between Subtest Scores of the National League for Nursing Achievement Tests and Subtest Scores of the Ohio State Board Examinations for Nursing Certification

“…In this context the evidence in this study seems to support the concurrent validity of the corresponding parts of the NLN and State Board examinations. There is also rather striking evidence that with the possible exception of the subtest dealing with psychiatric nursing a general factor underlies the pattern of intercorrelations of the subtests-an outcome resembling that indicated by the correlational data reported by Haney, Michael, and Martois (1976).…”

The Prediction of Success of Three Ethnic Samples on a State Board Certification Examination for Nurses from Performance on Academic Course Variables and on Standardized Achievement and Study Skills Measures

“…The same numerical designations for variables as those cited in Tables 1 and 2 are incorporated within Tables 3 and 4. Except for SBTPE, which is a secure test administered under the aegis of the California State Board of Nursing, all other standardized tests were carefully referenced previously by Haney, et al (1976). All course letter grades of A, B, C, D, and F, were translated to numerical values of 4, 3, 2, 1, and 0, respectively.…”

“…The major modification involved the addition of five criterion measures arising from the subtests of the [California] State Board Test Pool Examination (SBTPE) and of a sixth criterion measure constituting a mean score on the five subtests. Of the original sample of 223 Caucasians, 73 Mexican-Americans, and 67 Negroes for whom test scores and course grades were obtained during 1974 and 1975 (Haney, et al, 1976), information was recorded toward the end of 1976 for the surviving members in the three student samples of 207 Caucasians, 61 Mexican-Americans, and 53 Negroes on the SBTPE and was related to all previously employed variables on which data were available. Specifically, for each of the three ethnic samples for which information was present on all variables, the two major purposes of this study were ( 1 ) to report (in addition to descriptive data involving means and standard deviations of scores on all measures) validity coefficients of each of 28 predictor variables (of which 13 were criterion measures in the previous study) with respect to each of the 5 subtests of the SBTPE and (2) to summarize the results of 2 sets of stepwise multiple regression analyses: (a) the first consisting of the use of all of the original 15 predictor variables in the initial study and of one criterion measure (Total Course Grade Point Average-GPAearned in all courses in the nursing training program during 1974 and 1975) in forecasting level of success on each of the 5 subtests of the SBTPE and (b) the second involving employment of the same 16 variables just indicated and of the 4 additional ones provided by the 4 subtests of the National League for Nursing (NLN) Achievement Tests in the prediction of standing on each of the 5 subtests of the SBTPE and of the average score on these 5 subtests.…”