This highly specialized psychological assessment instrument was initially developed in the mid- and late-1980s for the sole purpose for predicting whether an individual, who was tested with this 72-item, multiple-choice questionnaire, would be eventually successful or non successful in being granted high-level security clearances by the U.S. Government (i.e., by the Department t of Defense). In its development, the PSSPQ was very carefully validated and cross-validated. Its validity coefficient was surprisingly high for such an instrument; the r (correlation) between scorings on the PSSPQ and subsequent success/nonsuccess in eventually being granted high-level clearance was 0.79. Successful prediction occurred in about 95% of the implicated studied personnel, all of whom were employees of contractor organizations. The involved contractor organizations maintained contract association with a very major U.S. Government intelligence agency. Most of the very few prediction errors could be regarded as being of the ‘false positive’ type; that is, the erroneous prediction that one would not be granted a security clearance when in fact the involved person would actually be successful. From a security point-of-view, such a classification error bias direction seems to be far more preferable than would be a ‘false-negative’ error type classification prediction bias, whereby those who would not be successful in being granted security clearances would be initially predicted to be successful.

     During the psychometric development of the PSSPQ, it was found to possess excellent reliability (test-retest, internal consistency, and split-half). Extremely elaborate and complex psychometric analyses were employed during the development of the PSSPQ.

     In its final form, it involves 12 scales, one of which is a LIE Scale that was found to be non correlated with intelligence. It can be noted, in comparison, that the Lie Scale on the MMPI shows a rather significant negative correlation with measured intellect. The remaining 11 PSSPQ scales are based on the 11 adjudication concern categories that are specified in the Directive 1/14, issued by the Director of Central Intelligence for the U.S. Government.  [Note - in 1998, the latest version of this DCID was presented, however no meaningful changes were specified with respect to the adjudication standards for granting top Secret - Special Compartmented Information (TS-SCI) level clearances.]  These 11 adjudication issues (each of which is measured by a PSSPQ scale) are:

                                         1.  Loyalty
                                         2.  Close Relations & Associates
                                         3.  Sexual Considerations
                                         4.  Cohabitation
                                         5.  Undesirable Character Traits
                                         6.  Financial Irresponsibility
                                         7.  Alcohol Abuse
                                         8.  Illegal Drugs & Drug Abuse
                                         9.  Emotional & Mental Disorders
                                       10.  Record of Law Violations
                                       11.  Security Violations

     With each single administration of the PSSPQ a large number of scores are obtained. These range from single scale scores, a total score, as well as many different configural pattern scorings. All of these scorings, based upon conducted research, show varying relationships with the eventual validity criterion, which is success or failure in eventually being granted high-level security clearance status.  [For readers who have a strong technical background in psychometrics and psychological statistics, a lengthy and complete presentation of the reliability and validity determinations for the PSSPQ can be found at: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/psspqreliabilityvalidity.html.]

     There are envisioned two major uses for the PSSPQ as well a number of lesser utilization possibilities. It was initially developed for personnel and security departments or offices to be able to predict, early on in the hiring or pre-employment process, of whether an individual would be eventually adjudicated to be granted or non granted the security clearances that would be necessary for full employment appointment. This type of employee prediction could be utilized with contract organization employees as well as applicants for employment with the U.S. Government.

     Another major use that has been envisioned for the PSSPQ was to provide information to the studied individual him/herself, and to no one else. In this fashion, an individual who was considering employment application with a ‘sensitive’ U.S. Government agency or organization or with a company or corporation that was a contractor with such government entities could discover for him/herself, early on in the employment application process, as to whether he/she would be eventually adjudicated to be successfully granted the necessary security clearances that would be required for the involved employment. In other words, if one had a background or character status that would result in eventual nonsuccess in adjudication for security clearances, it would be then wise and prudent to then not make or continue employment application for the involved job or position. Embarrassment could thus be avoided as well as a good deal of time and energy be saved by such a decision.   The primary developer of the PSSPQ (Dr. Stone), has made use of the test in some rather unusual ways. Since he is aware that the PSSPQ’s LIE Scale (unlike the MMPI's Lie Scale) is non correlated with intellect, he frequently administers the PSSPQ (it only takes about 10-15 minutes) solely to obtain a score on this particular scale.  Information that can be inferred from this single scale score is believed to have major importance in forensic clinical psychology assessment evaluations of accused individuals, especially those of known high intellect.  He also rather regularly employs the PSSPQ when conducting psychological assessments of involved individuals who are in the process of legal dispute with the personnel practices of a number of sensitive U.S. Government agencies/departments. The PSSPQ testing results in these ‘problem employee’ cases can be argued to represent bona fide predictive validity type information.

     Anyone or organization having any interest in possible utilization of the PSSPQ is invited to contact Dr. Stone. There is no other instrument or prediction paradigm available in the marketplace that was designed to accomplish what is done using the PSSPQ.  The PSSPQ is available for use, at this point in time, only in a ‘paper & pencil’ format. Scoring of PSSPQ responses is limited, for proprietary reasons, by Dr. Stone’s office. Various arrangements for use of the PSSPQ can be explored with Dr. Stone.  A separate web-subpage, http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/individualsales.html, has been developed especially for individuals, who would be interested in 'taking' the PSSPQ, so as to learn their chances for success/failure were they to be processed by the U.S. Government for high-level security clearance.   Individuals/organizations having interest in the PSSPQ are strongly advised to also check Dr. Stone's listing of published journal articles and papers read (at behavioral science organization meetings), especially in the late 1980s and 1990s, in the Publications section of this Web Site.  A large number of his published articles and presented papers are highly focused upon the psychology of traitorous behavior.  Any organization's human resources or security offices that might be interested in possible use of the PSSPQ should read the discussion presentation that can be found at:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/hrandsecdirectors.html.

     Another new psychological test, developed by Dr. Stone, which bears some similarity to the PSSPQ, is the Probity/Honesty Inventory (PHI).  More information can be found regarding the PHI at:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/trustworthinesstests.html, as well as:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/phitest.html.

    For anyone truly interested in the subject material presented in this PSSPQ Web Page section, the reader is strongly encouraged to also take a look at the listed additional following Web Page sections' addresses, which also describe important aspects and matters associated with use of the PSSPQ.  There may be some duplication, but not necessarily so, between the below given 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 and is that
which you are now reading)

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/~lastone2hrandsecdirectors.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 who 'take' this test)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/onlyonepsspq.html
(Describes how the PSSPQ is the only such prediction instrument in
existence that was designed for accurate statistical prediction of the
eventual outcomes of adjudication regarding the granting of high-level
security clearances)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/psspqreliabilityvalidity.html
(Describes the technical psychometric reliability and validity information
that pertains to 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 then employing intelligence agency
regarding any further development of his PSSPQ.)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/psspqprice.html
This section details how use of the PSSPQ can result in great financial
savings; on the order of spending $1.00 in order to save $200.00.  Use of
the PSSPQ can results in making an investment that can pay off at better
than a 200 to one ratio.  Such payoff ratios are seldom encountered.

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.

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/psspqlinks.html
This provides a number of links to web pages created by Dr. Stone
regarding the PSSPQ; also, some links to web pages not created by
Dr. Stone.

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/dcid64present.html
This presentation is quite lengthy (i.e., about 12 pages in length) and
it presents exactly and totally the US Government's guidlelines for
its adjudicator officials to use when evaluating/adjudicating individuals
for potential high-level (i.e., TS-SCI) security clearance status.   Also
included is a brief descriiption (by Dr. Stone) regarding how the
PSSPQ covers all the of the 12 adjudication guidelines that are 
described in the governmental DCID 6/4 documentation.
 

Thanks for Your Interest and Good Luck!