Career Assessment of Ultraorthodox Jewish Men: Reliability, Validity, and Results of the Strong Interest Inventory

Ultraorthodox men spend years studying religion and delay entry into the workforce until their early 30s. They then face barriers such as insufficient education and work experience, religious restrictions, and a lack of career information and self-knowledge. Although there is considerable interest in assessment, no measure has been validated within this population. The current research assessed the reliability and validity of the Strong Interest Inventory (SII), as well as the underlying circumplex model of interests. The degree of interest in specific careers was also explored. Participants included 192 ultraorthodox Jewish men transitioning from religious study to secular employment, who completed the SII. Results indicated that participants displayed an overall negative response bias. The vast majority of scales were reliable and valid, and the circumplex model fit the data. Interests differed from norms and a few scales functioned poorly. Theoretical and interpretative implications are discussed.