Berlin Test of Scholastic Aptitude for Psychology

Abstract

The Berliner Studierfähigkeitstest—Psychologie (BSF-P), commonly known as the Berlin Aptitude Test for Psychology, is a specialized, standardized aptitude test battery. It was meticulously developed to assess the academic ability and study potential of prospective university students applying for the highly competitive Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, primarily within the context of German university admissions.

The development process was rigorous, involving structured interviews with professors, students, and research staff, supplemented by a comprehensive literature review to establish an evidence-based set of aptitude characteristics. The BSF-P consists of six distinct subtests, the averaged scores of which yield a single overall BSF-P score. Following piloting and revisions across two samples, the instrument was implemented in student selection at Humboldt University of Berlin starting in 2021. The developers provided extensive psychometric data supporting the test’s reliability, including high Internal Consistency and acceptable Test-Retest Reliability, along with multiple forms of validity evidence (content, convergent, Discriminant Validity, structural, and Incremental Validity). A key limitation noted by the authors, however, is the lack of specific predictive validity testing regarding subsequent academic performance.

Keywords

Academic Ability, Academic Aptitude, Bachelor of Psychology, Incremental Validity, Measurement Precision, Standardized Aptitude Test, Test Battery, Undergraduate Psychology, University Applicants, University Student Admissions, University Student Selection.

Authors

Horstmann, Kai T., Biesok, Andra, Witte, Katja, Godmann, Henrik R., Fliedner, Karla, Wilm, Lisa, Doran, Larissa, Ziegler, Matthias.

Purpose

The primary function of the Berliner Studierfähigkeitstest—Psychologie (BSF-P) is to objectively assess the academic aptitude required for success in psychology studies. It serves as a crucial tool in high-stakes university admissions processes in Germany.

By providing a standardized measure of potential, the BSF-P assists university selection committees in making informed decisions for entry into psychology programs, where demand often vastly exceeds available places. The test is intended to differentiate between high-achieving applicants based on core skills necessary for psychological science.

Construct

The scale measures the construct of Psychology Academic Aptitude. This construct encompasses the cognitive and reasoning skills deemed essential for successful completion of a Bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Aptitude characteristics were identified through empirical methods, including expert consultation and literature review, ensuring that the components of the test align directly with the cognitive demands of the undergraduate psychology curriculum. The resulting instrument is a battery designed to capture diverse facets of academic potential, rather than focusing solely on prior academic grades.

Validity

The BSF-P development team provided robust evidence across several dimensions of validity, supporting the instrument’s use in high-stakes settings.

Content Validity: Evidence for content validity is supported by the fact that independent test designs developed for similar purposes (Formazin et al., 2011; Watrin et al., 2022) exhibit content that closely mirrors the BSF-P. This suggests the test covers the relevant domain of skills necessary for psychology studies.

Discriminant Validity: Discriminant Validity was established through correlation analyses comparing BSF-P scores against measures of personality traits (using the German BFI-2) and professional interests. The results showed that BSF-P scores measure distinct constructs separate from general personality or interest inventories, thus confirming the specificity of the academic aptitude construct.

Incremental Validity: The BSF-P demonstrated significant Incremental Validity. The correlation between higher education entrance qualification grades and BSF-P results was found to be r = .26 (95% CI [.18; .35], p < .01). This low-to-moderate correlation indicates that the test provides unique, valuable information for predicting success beyond what traditional academic qualifications alone can offer.

Construct Validity: The cumulative evidence derived from content, discriminant, and incremental analyses, alongside acceptable results from the structural model, collectively support the overall Construct Validity of the BSF-P, confirming that it effectively measures the intended construct of psychology academic aptitude.

Reliability

The psychometric evaluation of the BSF-P indicates good measurement precision and stability over time.

Internal Consistency: The reliability estimate for the overall BSF-P score, calculated using an estimation method tailored for test batteries (Bühner, 2021), was high, measuring .92 during the initial administration and .81 in subsequent administrations. The individual subtest scores showed internal consistencies ranging between .50 and .76, confirming that items within each subtest generally cohere and measure the same underlying trait.

Test-Retest Reliability: Stability was confirmed through Test-Retest Reliability estimates, based on an average retest interval of 84 days. Individual subtest reliabilities ranged from r = .51 to r = .65. Crucially, the retest reliability for the overall BSF-P composite score was r = .74, demonstrating that the overall score is stable and reliable over a period of several months.

Factor Analysis

The scale’s underlying structure was investigated using advanced psychometric techniques, supporting the proposed factor model.

Item Response Theory (IRT): Analyses utilizing Item Response Theory (IRT) confirmed that the six subtests are largely homogeneous across both individuals and items, thereby satisfying a key requirement for scalability (Bühner, 2021). Furthermore, the distribution of item difficulties indicated that the subtests are capable of effectively differentiating between test-takers, even those performing in the upper skill ranges.

Structural Validity: Personal parameters were initially estimated from the individual IRT measurement models. These estimated parameters were subsequently used to fit a structural model via Structural Equation Modeling. The resulting structural model fit the data acceptably, with key indices reported as: χ² (50) = 194.26, p < .001, CFI = .899, RMSEA = .078 (95% CI [.067; .090]), and SRMR = .054. These results provide empirical support for the theoretical factor structure underpinning the BSF-P.

Instrument

Test Type: Original, Battery

Format: The BSF-P overall score is calculated as the average of the z-standardized personal parameters estimated from the six sub-tests using rapid models. Administration supports both electronic and paper formats.

Language Available: German

Population Group: Human

Age Group: Adolescence (13-17 yrs); Adulthood (18 yrs & older); Young Adulthood (18-29 yrs); Thirties (30-39 yrs); Middle Age (40-64 yrs).

Population Details:

• Location: Germany

• Respondents: 11th and 12th Grade Students; University Applicants.

Test Methodology: Test Validity, Construct Validity, Content Validity, Convergent Validity, Discriminant Validity, Test Reliability, Internal Consistency, Test-Retest Reliability, Item Response Theory, Measurement Model, Structural Equation Modeling.

Keywords

Academic Ability, Academic Aptitude, Bachelor of Psychology, Incremental Validity, Measurement Precision, Standardized Aptitude Test, Test Battery, Undergraduate Psychology, University Applicants, University Student Admissions, University Student Selection.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: orcid.org/0009-0007-3718-6928 (Katja Witte)

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

Correspondence Address: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Psychologische Diagnostik, Unter den Linden 6, Berlin, Germany, 10099, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Contact Corresponding Author

Fee: No

Commercial: No

Test Year: 2023

Reference’s

Horstmann, K. T., Biesok, A., Witte, K., Godmann, H. R., Fliedner, K., Wilm, L., Doran, L., & Ziegler, M. (2023). Berliner Studierfähigkeitstest—Psychologie (BSF-P) [The Berlin Aptitude Test for Psychology—BSF-P]. Psychologische Rundschau, 74(4), 221–238. doi.org/10.1026/0033-3042/a000628

Bühner, M. (2021). Einführung in die Test- und Fragebogenkonstruktion [Introduction to test and questionnaire construction] (7th ed.). Pearson. No data is Available

Danner, D., Rammstedt, B., Bluemke, M., & Lechner, C. (2016). BFI-2 – Big Five Inventory 2 [Big Five Inventory 2]. ZPID, Leibniz Institute for Psychology Information. No data is Available

Formazin, M., Hell, B., & Ziegler, M. (2011). Studieneignungstests: Konzepte, Konstrukte und Forschungsbefunde [Study aptitude tests: Concepts, constructs and research findings]. Hogrefe. No data is Available

Roemer, C., Ziegler, M., & Bühner, M. (2021). RIAS—Revised Inventory of Academic Interests [Revised Inventory of Academic Interests]. Hogrefe. No data is Available

Rounds, J., Su, R., Rivkin, D., & Armstrong, P. I. (2010). The academic interests inventory: A new measure of interests for educational and vocational guidance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 77(3), 361–372. doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2010.05.006

Watrin, L., Maag, A., & Ziegler, M. (2022). STAV—Studierfähigkeitstest für die Aufnahme ins Bachelorstudium Psychologie [Study aptitude test for admission to the Bachelor of Psychology program]. Hogrefe. No data is Available

Items of the Berlin Aptitude Test for Psychology (BSF-P)

The Berliner Studierfähigkeitstest—Psychologie (BSF-P) consists of six subtests, which are:

• Reading comprehension

• English language skills

• Math skills

• Verbal reasoning

• Numerical reasoning

• Figural reasoning