Diseño y validación de un inventario de intereses para identificar áreas de proyección vocacional (IPV) en estudiantes de educación secundaria

Abstract

In several Latin American countries, students who graduate from high school take selective examinations to access higher education. At that point, the students opt for a technical or professional degree, depending on their interests and abilities (among other variables). In this context, the present study aims to analyze the psychometric properties of a recently (2012-1013) designed Vocational Interest Projections Inventory (IPV, from now on) applied to 72 students, in the final year of secondary school at an educational institution in the Maule Region, Chile. Factor analysis showed 18 factors and a transversal transversal dimension. A reliability of 0.90 was obtained by internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha). It is concluded that the instrument is valid and reliable and can be used to identify areas of vocational interest projection in this age group. It is also recommended the application of the inventory with conjunction of other strategies that include an external point of view, beyond the students´ perceptions about their preferences in choosing a degree.