2003 IMTA Proceedings - International Military Testing Association

• Austria also has committed itself to supporting future missions of the European Union.
Therefore specially prepared and trained units – again based on volunteers – have to be
raised.
PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST SYSTEMS
All these aspects have to be regarded when deciding on where and how to implement
psychological test systems for the Armed Forces.
According to our current specifications testing and selection is applied with
• recruits at the induction centers
• soldiers applying to become cadre / professional soldiers
• soldiers applying for service with International Operations Forces
• professional soldiers as well as members of the militia to select PSO personnel
• soldiers applying or intended for special functions like air defense personnel, pilot etc.
TESTING AT THE INDUCTION CENTERS
A young man officially gets in contact with the Austrian Armed Forces for the first time when
he has to take part in the examinations at an induction center. There are six induction centers
in Austria, examining about 60.000 persons a year.
The examination lasts one and a half days, with an information section plus medical and
psychological tests on the first day and a psychological interview as well as a medical
examination on the second day. Based on the data collected a commission consisting of an
officer, a physician (usually a medical officer) and a psychologist decides, on whether the
draftee is fit for military service or not.
Regarding the amount of people to be tested and the limited time available, the test system
implemented at the induction centers is computer based, including some adaptive tests as well
as self-adapting test batteries. Adaptive testing is optimized to yield highest precision in the
lower ability range, since persons with low abilities belong to those possibly unfit for military
service.
To provide information for improved placement besides registering verbal abilities, reasoning
and spatial performance as well as perceptual speed, also tests covering psychomotor skills
using tracking tasks and anticipation of movement have been included. Conditions imposing
additional stress in the second half of the test battery provide information on performance
under load.
An additional life event inventory and a recruitment-specific personality questionnaire are
also part of the test battery.
45 th Annual Conference of the International Military Testing Association
Pensacola, Florida, 3-6 November 2003
45