Using the PSSPQ to Increase Your Chances for Success In Getting that Job that Requires You to Obtain A High-Level Security Clearance

[Note - this web page is a component part of Dr. LeRoy A. Stone’s
Web Site, whose Index/Home Page address is:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/home.html]

     Many contractor organizations that work for national defense/security portions of the US Government (i.e., in the Washington DC area, such contractors frequently are known as ‘Beltway Bandits’) are required to, for many of their employee positions, either hire persons who already possess the necessary and required security clearance statuses or to hire skill-qualified individuals not yet possessing the clearance statuses, but who will hopefully be granted the required clearances following lengthy and expensive security clearance process evaluation and adjudication. These latter type employees, before they are eventually granted the required clearances, quite frequently are temporarily placed in work assignments that are considerably beneath the skills qualification levels of the involved employees; such assignments continue until the employees are granted the required security clearance(s). Also, the costs of the security clearance investigation/adjudication process, that is incurred by the government, is directly billed and passed on to the contractor organization. In the event that the Government decides against granting the clearance(s), quite frequently, the involved employment arrangement is almost automatically terminated; such an action is very financially costly to the involved contractor organization and usually is psychologically and socially costly, as well as being likely financially costly to the involved employee.

    There is no doubt that contractor organizations highly prefer to hire employees who already possess the to-be-needed security clearances; then they do not have to pay for the goveernment-conducted security clearance evaluation/adjudication process which can many times be as high as $25,000 or more. When a contractor organization hires an individual (who will be required to be later successfully granted the required clearance(s), the organization is in effect betting a large sum of money that the new employee will be successful in later being granted the required clearance(s). Any information that positively supports making such a ‘bet,’ on the part of the organization, can greatly increase the probability that the involved individual will be actually hired. 
 

     But what can the individual job applicant, as defined in this last described situation, do to increase his/her chances that the hiring contractor organization will believe that he/she represents a good chance (i.e., a high probability) for a final favorable adjudication regarding being granted the hoped-for security clearance status? A good honest self description, made by the job applicant who actually possesses a favorable background and history, is just about the best guarantee for eventually being successful in being granted the required security clearance status. How can the job applicant best accomplish a communication to the contractor organization that he/she represents a very good chance for being favorably considered by the US Government regarding being granted a high-level security clearance? One excellent way of accomplishing such a communication matter is, by presenting to the contractor organization, at around the time of  making initial application for employment, a favorable set of Personnel Security Standards Psychological Questionnaire (better known simply as the PSSPQ) scales scores and final prediction score, with interpretation    Also available, without extra cost, to those who have 'taken' the PSSPQ and have obtained scored results that predict future success in being granted a high-level security clearance, is an attractive certificate that communicates this prediction of success.. 

     In the Washington Post (23 March 2003, page K1, i.e., in the "Jobs" section), Mary E. Slayter, a Staff Writer, in a column titled as "Career Track: When Considering Job Recruiters, Use Your Head," presented a number of suggestions for young persons regarding the use of job recruiters.  Among the several she explained, one was titled as "Take all the tests."  In this sub-section she stated: 

"Take every test you reasonably think you can pass, and err on the side or confidence. The more certified skills you have, the more likely it is the recruiter will be able to find you a job.  When I was registering with temp agencies after I graduated from college, I took several tests for programs I hadn't even used, on the grounds that I had used similar programs.  I passed them all.  You also will probably do better than you think." 

     Substitute the idea of the PSSPQ as a skills or proficiency  test, consistent with how Ms. Slayter views the value of "passed" tests as being of significant value in strengthening one's position with a job recruiter  To present information that you have "passed" the PSSPQ can do nothing but strengthen your position in your job search.. 

     The PSSPQ is a surprisingly short (only 72 multiple-choice items that are, in effect, equal to a 360 true/false test) that was designed and constructed to accurately predict eventual success or failure in being eventually granted high-level security clearance status by the US Government. It is important to know that the PSSPQ was developed/constructed using very rigorous and well recognized psychological test building logic and procedures. It was originally empirically validated and cross-validated back in the late 1980’s. More recently, it has undergone some slight modifications (i.e., updated) and has been subject to even more revalidation efforts. Psychometrically speaking, it is a sound and reliable test that accurately predicts what it claims to do. This psychological prediction/test is quite well described (in terms of developmental history and usage) in sub-parts of Dr. LeRoy A. Stone’s overall Web Site; whose address is: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/home.html. Some of the particular sub-parts of this Web Site that directly pertain to the PSSPQ are as follows: 
 

One may also be interested in learning more about the concept and delineation of security clearances in general; such may be found at: 
 

     In the past year or so, a number of those individuals who have paid Dr. Stone to be administered the PSSPQ and to shortly thereafter learn of their 12 PSSPQ scale scores (in standardized score form), as well as their prediction scores and interpretations of same, regarding whether they are expected or predicted, based upon the determined scientific logic of the PSSPQ, to be successful or failures in being eventually granted  high-level security clearance status. After receiving this information they then took the following actions. They communicated their PSSPQ results and interpretations to their contractor organizations with whom they were making, or had made, a job application. Such communications simply involved sending copies of the two or three pages of PSSPQ results/interpretations, that are routinely provided by Dr. Stone to those who have been administered the PSSPQ. For individuals, who have ‘taken’ the PSSPQ, and who have been informed that they did obtain quite favorable score results along with the associated accompanying interpretations, this type of information is almost always interpreted, by the involved contractor organizations, as a very supportive addendum to an individual’s application for possible employment  As previously noted, a personalized certificate of predicted success is also available, without extra cost, that communicates in a quite attractive fashion, the fact that the involved individual did obtain PSSPQ scores that predict success with respect to possible future granting of a high-level security clearance. 

     Dr. Stone has been informed, by a few of those persons who had been administered the PSSPQ, who did what is described in the latter portion of the above paragraph, that they were made to believe that the highly favorable and positive PSSPQ information, that they shared with the involved contractor organizations, was valued so highly by the contractor organizations that these organizations ended up hiring those individuals, who had taken the PSSPQ, over some other job applicants who possibly did perhaps possess superior past job experience, skills and training. The old adage of a bird in hand is better than two in the bush comes to mind at this point. 

     Any individual who is, or is contemplating, becoming involved with submitting a job application for a position that will require the person if hired to later (i.e., as soon as possible) be successful in being granted high-level security clearance status, would be very wise to make arrangements to ‘take’ the PSSPQ and to obtain results from this testing as soon or early as possible. In the event that the testing results are favorable, then this information can be used to strengthen or bolster one’s application for employment. In the event that the testing results suggest an unfavorable status (i.e., prediction of failure in being granted the required security clearance status), if this information is learned early enough, then initiation of the possible job application process might best be discouraged. Such would seem to benefit both the involved job seeking individual as well as the particular contractor organization. 
 

     The monetary cost of being administered the PSSPQ and to subsequently receive the resulting scores and interpretive information is very minimal when compared to the decision benefits that can be expected to accrued from the obtaining of PSSPQ testing information. Another old adage comes to mind at this point: To be Penny-wise may result in being Pound-foolish.
 

     In some parts of the country, competition for available and open job positions, that are associated with the demand that those who fill them possess the necessary high-level security clearances, is existent and is very real. One way that the employer organizations can minimize their risks of hiring someone, who later is found to not be suitable to be granted a high-level security clearance, is to have the multiple number of applicants (for the same job) be administered the PSSPQ and then to request that Dr. Stone report their test based prediction scores to the employer organizations’ human resources office. The higher the positive numerical value of the PSSPQ discriminant function prediction scores (the ones that predict success/failure for being granted high-level security clearance status), the greater is the chance for success in obtaining the job required security clearance status. When using the PSSPQ in this fashion, employing organizations clearly maximize their chances of only hiring persons who later will most likely be successful in being granted the necessary clearances. The PSSPQ predictions are based upon sound, scientific statistical logic and paradigms. 

     Dr. Stone was recently amazed to discover a rather unique utilization of the PSSPQ. Namely, it was used by several individuals, who were all friends, or at least knew one another. Apparently, they had created some type of personal ‘one ups-man-ship’ type competition among themselves - they bet each other that they could beat each other with respect to their ability to be federally granted high-level security clearances. When they discovered that PSSPQ security clearance granting prediction scores could provide a measured basis to test their beliefs and claims regarding the favorableness of their own backgrounds, when compared to each others, they all made arrangements to be administered the PSSPQ and to obtain its results. Apparently, one of them won and collected some several hundred dollars in bets. Dr. Stone thought that this did constitute a valid but somewhat questionable use of PSSPQ provided information; however, his most major conclusion was that some people appear to have more money than they sometimes know what to do with! 

     Another somewhat different use of the PSSPQ was explained by a gentleman who ‘purchased’ a test administration and the results from his taking the PSSPQ. He was of the belief that a favorable scoring(s) on the PSSPQ would bolster any employment application that he was submitting, not necessarily related to any job situation that required the holding of any type of security clearance. He explained it that he thought he could use a favorable PSSPQ set of scores in a way somewhat similar to one showing that he/she could be bonded by an insurance company for some position of trust, such as employment in a bank.  The before mentioned certificate of success, with respect to PSSPQ obtained scores could prove useful in this type of situation. 

     A small number of organizational users of PSSPQ test results information have informed the instrument’s developer, Dr. LeRoy A. Stone, that one of bits of information that is provided in this test’s results that they most value is the scoring information coming from use of the LIE Scale, which is a major component scale in the PSSPQ. While many well known personality measuring instruments (i.e., MMPI, MMPI-2, PAI, CAPI, MSI, 16-PF, CPS, etc.) contain lie or dissimulation scales that are believed to measure self description distortion (i.e., lying about oneself), the LIE Scale on the PSSPQ has been found to be superior to most of the others as it seems to be independent (i.e., zero level correlated) with measured intelligence. For example, although the Lie Scale on the MMPI and MMPI-2 is considered to be a very ‘good’ one and is very widely used to interpret proneness to be deceptive when responding to the test, it has been found to be significantly related (i.e., correlated) with measured intellect. Generally, the same kind of relatedness or association is believed to exist involving most of the so-called lie scales contained in most of the other popular personality measuring psychological tests 

    The PSSPQ LIE Scale has been empirically found to not be related to intelligence. This means that the hidden purpose of this lie scale is not seen by those who are better endowed with high intelligence as compared to those with lower levels of intellect. In other words, this LIE Scale catches all individuals with respect to their lying (i.e., in the positive self description direction) propensities, regardless of how intelligent they are. 

    It is for this information that human resources offices, in a number of organizations whose employees must hold security clearances, make apparent heavy use of the PSSPQ LIE scale results. Knowledge of the degree or level of deception that an individual will go to during the process of seeking employment, along with any required security clearance status, is something that can assist one in any attempted interpretation of the trustworthiness and suitability of the individual. A ‘high’ or unfavorable LIE Scale score, observed when just about all of the other 11 PSSPQ adjudication categories scorings are quite ‘favorable’ or low, is a strong indicator that the involved individual is most likely attempting to use false or distorted  information to portray him/herself. 

     With this type of understanding, also it would be very wise for any job applicant who may become employment application involved with one of the above indicated employers to know beforehand what he/she would obtain as their PSSPQ LIE Scale scoring. If one has prior knowledge that they were unusually prone to overly promote themselves, in an unrealistic positive fashion, when applying for employment in general (not only with organizations that involve security clearance statuses for their employees), then the involved persons would be in a position to understand that a more realistic reporting regarding self-description would be beneficial. 

     The procedure for ‘taking’ the PSSPQ and to have the results reported back to you in easily understandable form (which involves the reporting of standard scores for 12 sub scales, a ‘total’ standard score, a verbalized prediction for success or failure for being granted high-level security clearance status (based upon a discriminant function score), and the generalized probability associated with this complex statistical prediction.). 

1. Send $125.00 (Cashiers Check or Postal Money Order), along with a letter/note that communicates your wanting to be administered the PSSPQ, to:

    A number of people who have requested to ‘take’ the PSSPQ apparently feel 
    more comfortable not revealing their full or correct names; instead they 
    identify themselves simply as "Bob" or similar such other labeling. It should 
    be known that Dr. Stone, after completing his part of the testing and 
    providing results from same, destroys the responded-to answer sheets. He
    has no need nor interest in saving these completed response sheets, or any
    other related information, that might somehow later be tied in to the involved
    persons.  Complete confidentiality is promised. 

2. You will then be sent (by mail) a copy of the PSSPQ test, an answer sheet,
    and a stamped and addressed envelope in which to return the test and the
    completed answer sheet. 

3. Upon receipt of the above described materials (PSSPQ test and completed 
    answer sheet), your responses to the PSSPQ test items will be computer
    scored. Standard scores (i.e., T score having a mean of 50 and a standard
    deviation of 10) will be reported for each of the 12 sub scales (i.e.,including
    the LIE Scale). An overall T score (for 11 sub scales, not including the LIE
    Scale) will also be reported. A numerical discriminant function scoring (which
    predicts whether you will be successful or not in eventually being granted a
    high-level security clearance) will also be reported along with a verbalized
    interpretation of same. Finally, a ‘confidence’ probability description for this
    prediction will be reported. Normally, all of these results will be reported
    back to you (by mail) so that you most likely will receive it in about 7-10 days
    following when you first sent the testing materials back to Dr. Stone. 

    Quite recently, one of those who had been administered the PSSPQ made a 
    suggestion that included a request that Dr. Stone prepare a certificate type 
    document that would more dramatically communicate that an individual,
    whose name was on the certificate, had taken the PSSPQ and had obtained
    scoring results that suggested/predicted that he/she would successfully obtain
    high-level security clearance status were that individual properly processed
    and adjudicated, by federal government security officers, for such a
    clearance.  It was suggested that such a certificate would be an excellent
    communication document for informing others regarding this class of
    'favorable' information.  Individuals who successfully 'pass' the PSSPQ in
    this fashion, will be sent, upon their request to Dr. Stone, a  certificate, such
    as described above.  There is no extra cost for requesting and receiving this
    certificate. 

4. Dr. Stone’s is a highly credentialed professional psychologist whose 
    achievement and accomplishment credentials are widely known and
    recorded; his credentials are clearly specified in the Home or Index portion
    of his Web Site, whose Internet address is:

    http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/home.html. 

     Additional information pertaining to the PSSPQ and its use may be found in additional web pages that are located at the following listed Internet addresses: 

Actually, all of these listed Internet addresses for Web pages are displayed as connecting ‘links’ on one another of the pages themselves. 

     It is believed (based upon an opinion from a CPA accountant who specializes in tax matters and who is well regarded by Dr. Stone) that the costs associated with ‘taking’ the PSSPQ may normally be regarded as being a job-hunting expense and as such are eligible for regard as a possible tax deduction. 
 

    Although most concepts or constructs, that are measured by psychological tests, usually have available many different tests designed to measure just about the same thing. However, with the matter of prediction of success/failure for eventually being granted a high-level security clearance, so far, has had only one psychological test developed for this purpose and that test is the PSSPQ. Because of inherent problems and difficulties in developing such a focused test, mainly because the US Government did not and does not want such a test to exist, only the PSSPQ has been successful to come into existence in this regard. Those who control the granting of security clearances, in most Government agencies, bureaus, departments, and the like, generally are the ‘Offices of Security’ in those various organizations. These particular offices, just like just most governmental organizations, strive to obtain increased power and control and will fight to protect the level of power and control that they currently maintain.

     When the PSSPQ first was explained to Office of Security, within the intelligence agency in which Dr. Stone was then employed, one might perhaps expect that this office would have shown great interest in such a prediction tool.  However, only those who might be  naive about the workings of government agencies,  would have had much belief that this Office of Security would express positive interest in being able to predict, right at the very beginnings of the security clearance application and subsequent adjudication process, what the process might yield some one or two dozen months in the future. Actually what really occurred was that they demonstrated  no apparent interest and this was not simply due to the fact that Dr. Stone was not associated or employed within the Office of Security. That agency’s Office of Security, in fact, later proved to be a significant ‘enemy’ of the PSSPQ concept, especially when it was learned by them that such a prediction tool actually existed. 

    Well then, how about possible interest in the PSSPQ by the other intelligence agencies and organizations that granted high-level security clearance status's?  In agencies other than the one that employed Dr. Stone, the results were the same, but due to quite different causations. The name of the game, played by the many governmental organizations, that make up what is generally referred to as the ‘intelligence community,’ back then (and even now, based upon what appears in the news media), is to appear to be cooperative with one another but in fact sometimes do almost just the opposite. Recent study or disclosure of the lack of cooperation between intelligence gathering organizations in our Government has clearly shown that such a status as been in existence for many years and seemingly still is. A good example is the clearly apparent past purposeful non-cooperation between the CIA and the FBI. When the concept of the PSSPQ was first initially introduced to the CIA, FBI, DIA, and the various armed services intelligence divisions, these organizations, because the PSSPQ was developed by a behavioral scientist NOT in their own organization's employment, almost automatically responded not only with non interest, but some also responded with explicit negative destructive comments about the instrument and its logic. In no uncertain terms, back in the late 1980’s, Dr. Stone was ‘ordered’ to cease and desist with respect to his work with the PSSPQ, which he had been carrying on in his own time and which had been developed using no government resources or materials. [On this latter matter, Dr. Stone does possess a memo from the involved Agency’s then General Counsel attesting to the fact that complete ownership of the PSSPQ was Dr. Stone’s.] Not long after this, the "fall of the Soviet Union" occurred and shortly following this, those organizations that made up the intelligence community, as well as our Department of Defense and armed services, all began to significantly and swiftly downside and become de-emphasized in our society.. Until recently (i.e., the War on Terror), there really was little interest and need for some tool such as the PSSPQ. However, now that the Country is once again in a modified wartime type mode, with the now existence of the Department of Home Security, the growing use of high-level security clearances is once again a growth industry. The PSSPQ can once again be seen as a valuable and useful instrument. 

     Those with some background and experience in the real workings of Federal agencies, will clearly recognize what is described in the two preceding paragraphs as not only being possible, but actually could be expected. It is for the reasons, laid forth in these above paragraphs, that the PSSPQ surprisingly has no competitor psychological tests that claim to be able to provide the same or similar type predictive information as does the PSSPQ. The fact is that the governmental organizations that grant security clearances do not want any instruments, such as the PSSPQ, to exist - especially when such has been developed by someone who is not directly under their control. These Security Offices actually do not want their security clearance application and subsequent adjudication processes to become more efficient and swift - in fact, just the opposite is true. To prolong the processes, which currently in some cases are in excess of one to two years duration, is to expand the concept of control over an even longer time frame. To not be able to predict eventual success or failure with respect to the granting of security clearances, until the adjudication process is entirely completed is the control of uncertainty. To control uncertainty, according to all experts of the concept of power, is a major function matter. In actual practice the PSSPQ is perceived of in an ‘enemy’ type fashion by the many bureaucratic governmental offices of security.  A work colleague, who was a senior official in the Office of Security in the Agency from which Dr. Stone retired, informed  Dr. Stone that they (i.e., the Office of Security) could not be ‘friendly’ to a 10 minute test that could accurately predict, right at the beginning of the evaluation process, what the Office of Security was claiming what would take perhaps almost a couple of years in order to adjudicate a final decision.  To persons not familiar with the actual workings of federal organizations, based upon firsthand association, the above comments may sound a bit "paranoid'; however, persons who have had bona fide and significant contact with the so-called intelligence agencies, such a situatiion  is very easy to believe. 

     Today, It would be almost impossible for some behavioral scientist, not on the ‘inside’ of an intelligence community organization, to even consider to want to construct an instrument such as the PSSPQ. Since powerful factions within the various agencies do not want such purposeful instrumentations to exist, it is unlikely that any will ever again be successfully built. The PSSPQ is unique in its purpose and use! Therefore, if you have need for the type of information that is provided by the PSSPQ, look no further as this particular psychological test is the only existing, valid, prediction methodology that can meet your needs.

      For anyone truly interested in the subject material presented in this Web Page, the reader is strongly encouraged to also take a look at the additional following Web Pages, which also describe important aspects and matters associated with use of the PSSPQ.  There may be some duplication, but not necessarily so, between the belowgiven links and some of the links given in some of the above paragraphs.

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/psspq.html
(This can be considered to be the PSSPQ index/home page)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/psspqfaq.html
(This is the "frequently asked questions" that pertain to the PSSPQ)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/atyourservicepsspq.html
(More valuable information about use of PSSPQ obtained information)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/howtotakepsspq.html
(This one is especially important as it describes, in detail, the procedure one
must go through in order to purchase an administration [i.e., to ‘take’],
obtain results and interpretation of the PSSPQ)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/moneybackguarantee.html
(Very recently, a money-back-guarantee fee arrangment was created by
Dr. Stone for the PSSPQ.  The less-complicated and lower fee arrangment
that was originally set for 'taking' the PSSPQ still stands but no money-
back-guarantee is involved with this traditional fee amount.

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/hrandsecdirectors.html
(Describes how the PSSPQ can be used by directors of offices of
human resources and/or security)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/increasesuccesschances.html
(Describes how a job applicant/candidate can improve his employment
chances with PSSPQ obtained information)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/individualsales.html
(Describes use/value of the PSSPQ for individuals)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/onlyonepsspq.html
(Describes how the PSSPQ is the only such prediction instrument in
existence)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/psspqreliabilityvalidity.html
(Describes the technical psychometric reliability and validity information
regarding the PSSPQ)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/securityclearancewaiting.html
(Being administered the PSSPQ and learning its results can be expected
to be a very smart job-hunting decision that can easily lead to increased
chances for job-obtaining success.  To decide to 'take' the PSSPQ can
prove to be a very wise decision indeed!)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/britishcommonwealth.html
(Describes that the PSSPQ logically, and based upon empirical data
results, can accurately predict success/failure for being granted
high-level security clearance status by some of the more major
British Commonwealth countries)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/natocountries.html
(Describes that the PSSPQ logically, and based upon some limited
empirical data results, can accurately predict success/failure for being
granted high-level security clearance status by some of the more major
NATO Countries)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/governmentdisliketest.html
(This presentation desccribes the very interesting history of the
development of the PSSPQ, especially involving the description of how
various U.S. Government agencies [including some military services],
back in the late 1980s, attempted to sabotage or stop any further
development of this testing instrument.  Dr. Stone was issued 'cease
and desist' instructions by his ten employing intelligence agency
regarding any further development of his PSSPQ.)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/psspqcertificate.html
This set of pages details Dr. Stone's recent decision to 'award' an
attractive certificate that communicates that it's recipient 'passed' the
PSSPQ at a 'high level' and that this inplies that the recipient can be
expected to be highly successful regarding the granting of high-level
security clearance status.

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/psspqcomparison.html
This section describes in detail how the PSSPQ is exclusively the only
actually available source of predictive information regarding possible
success/failure to be granted high-level security clearance status. 

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/psspqhelpgetclearance.html
This set of web site pages is devoted to description of advantages of
becoming knowledgeable regarding whether oneself will be successful
or not in eventually being granted high-level security clearance status.

Thanks for Your Interest and Good Luck!