API Adult Personality Inventory

API (Adult Personality Inventory) was developed by Samuel E. Krug (1984). It assesses major dimensions of adult personality, career preferences, personality differences, and interpersonal styles through a 324-item self-report inventory. It is sold by Wiley for individual and family counseling, employee selection and placement, and personal development programs.

API results are reported in terms of three sets of scales: Personal Characteristics, Interpersonal Style, and Career Factors.

The third set of scales, Career Factors (Practical, Scientific, Aesthetic, Social, Competitive, Structured), relate to career choice, job satisfaction, and life-style preferences. The following personality dimensions are measured by API: Extroversion, Discipline, Adjustment, Creativity, Toughness, Entrepreneurship.

The scales were developed empirically by studying response patterns that differentiated people in a broad sampling of occupations. The assessment also includes three measures of cognitive ability.

References

Ahadi, S.A. (1991). The use of API career factors as Holland occupational types. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 51, 167-172.

Krug, S.E. (1984). Adult Personality Inventory manual. Champaign, IL: Institute for Personality and Ability Testing.

Krug, S. E. (1995). Career Assessment and the Adult Personality Inventory. Journal of Career Assessment, 3(2), 176-187. https://doi.org/10.1177/106907279500300205