Berlin Aptitude Test for Psychology (BSF-P)

Abstract

The Berliner Studierfähigkeitstest—Psychologie (BSF-P), also known as the Berlin Aptitude Test for Psychology, is a standardized aptitude test designed to assess psychology-related academic ability. This battery-type instrument is specifically developed for use in Germany, where the Bachelor’s degree in psychology is highly sought after. The BSF-P aims to evaluate the study potential of prospective university students in the field of psychology and is intended for use in high-stakes student selection contexts. The test comprises six subtests, from which an overall BSF-P score is derived by averaging the individual subtest scores. The development of test items involved structured interviews with professors, students, and research staff, coupled with a comprehensive literature review on predictors of academic success. This process resulted in an evidence-based list of aptitude characteristics deemed relevant for the Bachelor’s degree in psychology. The BSF-P underwent piloting and revisions using two distinct samples before its implementation in applicant selection at Humboldt University of Berlin in 2021. The development team provided detailed information on the reliability of the test, including internal consistency and test-retest reliability, as well as various aspects of validity, such as content, convergent, discriminant, structural, and incremental validity. Structural model results were also presented. However, a notable limitation acknowledged by the authors is the absence of predictive validity testing for the BSF-P.

Keywords

Academic Ability; Academic Aptitude; Bachelor of Psychology; Incremental Validity; Measurement Precision; Standardized Aptitude Test; Test Battery; Undergraduate Psychology; University Applicants; University Student Admissions; University Student Selection.

Authors

Horstmann, Kai T.; Biesok, Andra; Witte, Katja; Godmann, Henrik R.; Fliedner, Karla; Wilm, Lisa; Doran, Larissa; Ziegler, Matthias.

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the Berliner Studierfähigkeitstest—Psychologie (BSF-P) is to assess the academic aptitude of potential university students for psychology studies in Germany. It is specifically designed for high-stakes contexts, such as university admissions, to aid in the selection of students for psychology programs.

Validity

The BSF-P demonstrates several forms of validity:

Content Validity: Independent test designs (Formazin et al., 2011; Watrin et al., 2022) have yielded procedures with similar content to the BSF-P, providing evidence of its content validity. This suggests that the test accurately reflects the domain it is intended to measure.

Discriminant Validity: To assess discriminant validity, scores from the German version of the Big Five Inventory 2 (BFI-2; Danner et al., 2016) and measures of professional interests (Roemer et al., 2021; Rounds et al., 2010) were collected. The observed correlations between these measures and BSF-P test scores generally supported the construct validity of the BSF-P parameters, indicating that the test measures distinct constructs from personality traits and professional interests.

Incremental Validity: The correlation between higher education entrance qualification grades and BSF-P test results was found to be r = .26 (95% CI [.18; .35], p < .01). This suggests that the BSF-P provides additional valuable information beyond traditional academic qualifications in predicting success in psychology studies.

Construct Validity: The overall body of evidence from content, discriminant, and incremental validity, along with the results from the structural model, contributes to the construct validity of the BSF-P, indicating that it measures the intended construct of psychology academic aptitude.

Reliability

The BSF-P exhibits good reliability:

Test-Retest Reliability: Retest reliability estimates, based on an average interval of 84 days, ranged from r = .51 to r = .65 for individual subtests. For the overall BSF-P score, the retest reliability was r = .74, indicating stable scores over time.

Internal Consistency: The reliability estimate for the overall BSF-P score, utilizing an estimation method for test batteries (Bühner, 2021), was .92 in the initial survey administration and .81 in the second and final administrations. The internal consistencies of the individual subtest scores ranged between .50 and .76, indicating that the items within each subtest are generally coherent and measure the same underlying construct.

Factor Analysis

Item Response Theory (IRT): Analyses using Item Response Theory largely indicated that the subtests are homogeneous across individuals and items, satisfying an important requirement for scalability (Bühner, 2021). Furthermore, the distribution of item difficulties showed that the subtests are capable of differentiating individuals even within the upper skill range.

Structural Validity: Within the IRT models, personal parameters were estimated for each individual measurement model. These estimated personal parameters were then used to estimate a structural model. The structural model demonstrated an acceptable fit to the data, with χ² (50) = 194.26, p < .001, CFI = .899, RMSEA = .078 (95% CI [.067; .090]), and SRMR = .054. This supports the proposed underlying factor structure of the BSF-P.

Instrument

Test Name: Berliner Studierfähigkeitstest—Psychologie (BSF-P)

Alternate Test Names: Berlin Aptitude Test for Psychology

Acronyms: BSF-P

Test Type: Original, Battery

Construct: Psychology Academic Aptitude

Format: The BSF-P test score is derived from the average of the z-standardized personal parameters estimated using rapid models for the six sub-tests. Administration can be done electronically or via paper.

Language Available: German

Population Group: Human

Age Group: Adolescence (13-17 yrs); Adulthood (18 yrs & older); Young Adulthood (18-29 yrs); Thirties (30-39 yrs); Middle Age (40-64 yrs).

Population Details:

• Location: Germany

• Respondents: 11th and 12th Grade Students; University Applicants.

Test Methodology: Test Validity; Construct Validity; Content Validity; Convergent Validity; Discriminant Validity; Test Reliability; Internal Consistency; Test-Retest Reliability; Item Response Theory; Measurement Model; Structural Equation Modeling.

Keywords

Academic Ability; Academic Aptitude; Bachelor of Psychology; Incremental Validity; Measurement Precision; Standardized Aptitude Test; Test Battery; Undergraduate Psychology; University Applicants; University Student Admissions; University Student Selection.

Authors

Horstmann, Kai T.

• Affiliation: Department Psychologie, Universität Siegen

Biesok, Andra

• Affiliation: Institut für Psychologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Witte, Katja

• Author ORCID Identifier: orcid.org/0009-0007-3718-6928

• Affiliation: Institut für Psychologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Godmann, Henrik R.

• Affiliation: Institut für Psychologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Fliedner, Karla

• Affiliation: Institut für Psychologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Wilm, Lisa

• Affiliation: Institut für Psychologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Doran, Larissa

• Affiliation: Institut für Psychologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Ziegler, Matthias

• Affiliation: Institut für Psychologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

• Email addresses: [email protected]

• Correspondence Address: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Psychologische Diagnostik, Unter den Linden 6, Berlin, Germany, 10099, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Contact Corresponding Author

Fee: No

Commercial: No

Test Year: 2023

References

Horstmann, K. T., Biesok, A., Witte, K., Godmann, H. R., Fliedner, K., Wilm, L., Doran, L., & Ziegler, M. (2023). Berliner Studierfähigkeitstest—Psychologie (BSF-P) [The Berlin Aptitude Test for Psychology—BSF-P]. Psychologische Rundschau, 74(4), 221–238. doi.org/10.1026/0033-3042/a000628

Bühner, M. (2021). Einführung in die Test- und Fragebogenkonstruktion [Introduction to test and questionnaire construction] (7th ed.). Pearson. No data is Available

Danner, D., Rammstedt, B., Bluemke, M., & Lechner, C. (2016). BFI-2 – Big Five Inventory 2 [Big Five Inventory 2]. ZPID, Leibniz Institute for Psychology Information. No data is Available

Formazin, M., Hell, B., & Ziegler, M. (2011). Studieneignungstests: Konzepte, Konstrukte und Forschungsbefunde [Study aptitude tests: Concepts, constructs and research findings]. Hogrefe. No data is Available

Roemer, C., Ziegler, M., & Bühner, M. (2021). RIAS—Revised Inventory of Academic Interests [Revised Inventory of Academic Interests]. Hogrefe. No data is Available

Rounds, J., Su, R., Rivkin, D., & Armstrong, P. I. (2010). The academic interests inventory: A new measure of interests for educational and vocational guidance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 77(3), 361–372. doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2010.05.006

Watrin, L., Maag, A., & Ziegler, M. (2022). STAV—Studierfähigkeitstest für die Aufnahme ins Bachelorstudium Psychologie [Study aptitude test for admission to the Bachelor of Psychology program]. Hogrefe. No data is Available

Items of the Berliner Studierfähigkeitstest—Psychologie (BSF-P)

The Berliner Studierfähigkeitstest—Psychologie (BSF-P) consists of six subtests, which are:

• Reading comprehension

• English language skills

• Math skills

• Verbal reasoning

• Numerical reasoning

• Figural reasoning