Personnel Security Standards Psychological Questionnaire (PSSPQ)
(A test that accurately predicts whether a person will or will not be successful if one is to be processed for high-level security clearance status)

      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 who 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 (which carried the designation of "6/4") 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.]   In DCID 6/4, an additional two more adjudication concerns or issues were mentioned and described.  Actually, the new or additional 12th issue really was covered in the original 2nd issue, which was "Close Relations & Associates."  The new 13th issue was concerned essentially with whether the subject-individual had ever involved him/herself with the 'hacking' of any type of computerized informational system or had acted contrary to rules and regulations pertaining to computerized informational systems.  This 13th issue is the basis for a few additional PSSPQ items that are now included  with PSSPQ testing which involves examination of the original 11 issues (i.e., which are the issues specified in earlier DCID 1/14 editions. 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

     It is interesting to note that Dr. Stone has made no attempt to create a new scale for the DCID 6/4's 12th adjudication issue (which in the 6/4 is labeled as "Guideline L") which is titled as "Outside Activities."  Way back n 1975, when Dr. Stone, himself, was being first processed for TS-SCI security clearance status, he was very fully asked about the very type matters that are now (i.e., since 1998) specified in the DCID 6/4 as "Outside Activities."  With this understanding, it can be stated that the "Outside Activities" issue is quite adequately covered by already existing items in the PSSPQ scales.  The DCID 6/4 other issue (which in 6/4 is labeled as "Guideline M"), is titled as "Misuse of Informational Technology Systems," and is focused upon by a couple additional items in the PSSPQ, which are scored a bit differently than the original or regular items.  They are currently scored in a somewhat subjective qualitative manner, instead of in a totally objective and quantitative manner as are the PSSPQ's original 72 items. 

     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 configurable pattern scorings. All of these scorings, based upon completed 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 is 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/~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.htm
(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 describes 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 implies 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/psspqhelpsgetclearance.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/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 implies 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/psspqhelpsgetclearance.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.}

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/adjudicationreliability.html
{These few pages describe a sound mathematically-based, psychometric
argument that the governmental officials' adjudication decision process, upon
which their decisions of approval or denial regarding the granting of
high-level security clearance status most likely is not an overly reliable
evaluation process.  This implies that the government officials, who make
these kinds of adjudication decisions, most likely, make a goodly number of
mistaken or error-prone decisions and that some individuals, who have been
"turned down" for being granted security clearance status,, may have
some real foundations upon which to base legally made appeals of suspected 
government's decisions.)

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/clearanceappeal.html
{If one has just been informed that he/she has been DENIED being granted
a needed security clearance, it might be a wise idea to initiate an appeal of
the government's decision.  These pages describe how the PSSPQ might
prove to be of some assistance in the event that one may be thinking of
filing such an appeal.}

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/careercounseling.html
{These pages were especially written to be of potential interest to 
career/vocational counselors.  It issuggested that, in addition to interest,
aptitude, skills testing to ascertain whether an individual being counseled
stands any chance of success if evaluated for future security clearance
status granting.  It is pointed out that the PSSPQ has already proved to
be of some assistance in such coounseling situations.}

http://www.home.earthlink..net/~lastone2/careergamble.html
{These pages are focused upon the idea that being denied security
clearance status can, for several reasons, represent a career or vocational
disaster.  It is pointed out that use of the PSSPQ, which has been shown to 
haveat least a 95% prediction accurate ability,, can potentially "save one"
from experiencing such a career/vocational disaster.}

http-//www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/psspqforfuturestatus.html
{It has been discovered that several USA citizens have used results from
the PSSPQ to predict how they, at some time in the future [i.e., five years
or so], would most likely be viewed by government security clearance
adjudicators regarding the matter of approval/denial regarding security
clearance status for the involved individuals.  This PSSPQ type of utilization
can be appropriate when the involved individuals are 'of the mind' that at the
present time they most likely would be denied being granted a security clearance,
and are wondering if they changed their ways, in the coming years, could they then
be possibly viewed by governmental adjudicators in a more positive fashion.}

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/clearanceprocessingdanger.html
(This presenation, giving a number of very specific examples and instances, 
describes the very potent dangers and pitfalls that someone being processed and
evaluated for being potentially granted high-level security status, should be aware
of prior to the start of any such processing/evaluation.  It is suggested that it would
be wise for anyone contemplating making application for any employment that 
requires one tobe processed for a requied security clearance to be first
administered the PSSPQ; the result being that the involved individual would then
have some basis for believing that a security clearance investigation would
produce positive results, i.e., a governmental decision would be that a clearance 
should be granted.

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/tnt.html
(For those readers who are wondering or questioning whether they personally
or situationally are in a position whereby they could likely benefit from being
administered the PSSPQ, which is a rather new 'test' that has been developed, the Testing Need Test (TNT).  The TNT is a 10-item, True/False type test that can
provide information as to whether an individual would be likely or not to benefit from
information arising from their 'taking' the PSSPQ.  The TNT is presented in this
sub-web site along with scoring instructions and score interpretation standards.

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.

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/psspqdatingtest.htm A whole new use for the PSSPQ was discovered during the latter part of 2006, it was found to be a quite an excellent tool, based on sound trial research, for use by persons wanting to evaluate personal integrity/honesty of a potential dating partner when involved with use of online dating sites. The PSSPQ was found, in that usage situation, to be an unusually appropriate and needed instrument that seemingly has not been available before.

Try the Following In Order to Obtain
More Information About the PSSPQ

    Another suggestion for locating additional information pertaining to the PSSPQ is to make use of any of the more major Internet search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc.  At the time of developing this Web Site, the Google search engine seems to be the best search engine to employ.  It is suggested that one, using Google, type in "psspq" (italics included).  At the present time, one should obtain about 50+  web site addresses.  Try it!  The Google search engine can be found at:
http://www.google.com/

Thanks for Your Interest and Good Luck!

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