Examining Holland’s model for Ecuadorian youth. Tool development and psychometric implications for vocational counseling

Holland’s (1997) scale is one of the most frequently used measures of vocational personality. The study describes the multiphase development and cultural validation of a short version of the sixfactor scale on a representative sample of 1735 Ecuadorian undergraduates. The Questionnaire of Vocational Preferences of Youth (Inventario de las Preferencias Profesionales de Jovenes: IPPJ) as the first culturally-rooted tool for Ecuadorian youth corresponds with the circular model by Holland (1997). Factorial analysis (EFA and CFA), validity, follow-up study, and reliability indicators support the factorial equivalence of the new, short version of the IPPJ. Some practical implications are outlined for vocational guidance in Ecuador.