Factors of applicants’ individual-professional aptitude for service in the internal affairs bodies

Introduction. The problem of applicants’ individual professional aptitude for service in the Internal Affairs bodies is of great importance and relevance. The aim of the research is to define and reveal interconnections between the results obtained through formal psychodiagnostical methods and the aptitude group designated for the applicant by the commission responsible for professional psychological selection. Materials and Methods. The examination of 151 applicants for service in the Internal Affairs bodies was conducted by means of the set of formal mandatory tests and questionnaires (Raven’s progressive matrices, “Analogies” method, V.N. Buzin and E.F. Wanderlik short selection test, “Vocabulary” method, F.B.Berezin multifaceted personality test, “Motivation Profile” questionnaire, “Method of studying law consciousness”, “Method of assessing subjective localization of control over crucial events”, “Method of assessing the level of volitional self-regulation”). The method of half-structured interview was employed to question 28 psychologists. Results and Discussion. Factor analysis (method of main components) of the data obtained by the mentioned above methods enabled the researchers to reveal 22 factors which determine individual professional aptitude. Their relation to the aptitude group was tested via correlation and regression analyses. It was proved that no revealed factor determined the applicant’s aptitude group. Moreover, psychologists of the Internal Affairs bodies deciding on the applicants’ individual professional aptitude for service in the Internal Affairs bodies rely on the results of the informal methods of psychodiagnostics, and it was revealed through the method of half-structured interview. Conclusions. Basing on the results of the tests, mathematical analysis by means of correlation and regression methods the authors managed to ascertain that it is insufficient to use only formalized methods for defining applicants’ individual professional aptitude for service in the Internal Affairs bodies. It is necessary to use additional data obtained through reliable psychodiagnostical methods and professional experience of the psychologists and members of the commission for professional selection.