@article{46a27ed8497646d0b6781b82d2796bb7,
title = "International comparison of group differences in general mental ability for immigrants versus non-immigrants",
abstract = "Globalization has led to increased migration and labor mobility over the past several decades and immigrants generally seek jobs in their new countries. Tests of general mental ability (GMA) are common in personnel selection systems throughout the world. Unfortunately, GMA test scores often display differences between majority groups and ethnic subgroups that may represent a barrier to employment for immigrants. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in GMA based on immigrant status in 29 countries (or jurisdictions of countries) throughout the world using an existing database that employs high-quality measurement and sampling methodologies with large sample sizes. The primary findings were that across countries, non-immigrants (n = 139,464) scored approximately half of a standard deviation (d =.53) higher than first-generation immigrants (n = 22,162) but only one-tenth of a standard deviation (d =.12) higher than second-generation immigrants (n = 6,428). Considerable variability in effect sizes was found across countries as Nordic European and Germanic European countries evidenced the highest non-immigrant/first-generation immigrant mean differences and Anglo countries the smallest. Countries with the lowest income inequality tended to evidence the highest differences in GMA between non-immigrants and first-generation immigrants. Implications for GMA testing as a potential barrier to immigrant employment success and the field's current understanding of group differences in GMA test scores will be discussed.",
author = "Chet Robie and Christiansen, {Neil D.} and Hausdorf, {Peter A.} and Murphy, {Sara A.} and Fisher, {Peter A.} and Risavy, {Stephen D.} and Keeping, {Lisa M.}",
note = "Funding Information: The data that formed the basis of the present study were collected as part of the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC or Survey of Adult Skills) sponsored by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Data were collected from participating countries in 2012 (Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and United States) and 2014 (Chile, Greece, Israel, Lithuania, New Zealand, Singapore, and Slovenia). Countries that participated in the Survey of Adult Skills were expected to meet stringent standards relating to the target population, sample design, sample selection response rates, and nonresponse bias analysis (OECD, 2013a). OECD guidelines were followed and results from countries (or jurisdictions) that did not meet these standards were not reported. These reporting standards (i.e., data adjudication) were quite complex and varied by country on four key areas— sampling, coverage and non-response bias, data collection, and instrumentation; they can be found in Appendix 7 of the Survey of Adult Skills Technical Report (OECD, 2013a). Each country was rated on the aforementioned key areas on a scale of “pass”, “caution”, and “fail”. Conditions were placed on the release of a country{\textquoteright}s data if it received a “fail” in one more domains. The conditions ranged from annotating non-conforming data or, at the extreme, not releasing all or a portion of the country{\textquoteright}s data (OECD, 2013a). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd",
year = "2017",
month = dec,
doi = "10.1111/ijsa.12189",
language = "English",
volume = "25",
pages = "347--359",
journal = "International Journal of Selection and Assessment",
issn = "0965-075X",
publisher = "International Journal of Selection and Assessment",
number = "4",
}
