Department of Civil Service

Description:

The Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) employs over 10,000 direct support professionals to help individuals with developmental disabilities lead richer lives. Candidates for employment are required to pass a physical and psychological evaluation as part of the Civil Service examination process for this profession. Currently, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is utilized as an initial tool for psychological testing and evaluation in conjunction with an in-person psychological evaluation by a licensed psychologist where appropriate. OPWDD is seeking a graduate student intern to conduct a study of the effectiveness this tool in the evaluation and selection of candidates for employment in the direct support profession; as well as to research other potential tools and techniques that have proven effective in assessing candidates for this occupation or similar occupations. Activities would include: empirical research using agency employment data; review and evaluation of available empirical research regarding psychological evaluation tools for the profession and/or related professions and occupations; summarize findings and recommendations for changes based on the research and analysis.

Skills:

Research

Data Analysis

Statistics

Internship Areas: Health Services, Human Services, Scientific Research