Psychological assessment for military selection: past, present and future applications

Psychological assessments for selecting military personnel have played a crucial role in enhancing training effectiveness, ensuring job success and, where possible, reducing mental health casualties in war zones. This article traces the development of psychological assessment for military selection through the World Wars to modern-day procedures. Two main themes emerge from this analysis: firstly, military psychological assessment methods evolve swiftly during war due to the need for mass personnel processing. Secondly, the foundational structures and considerations from these periods of development remain relevant today. However, the theories and tools underpinning psychological assessment for military selection have evolved. Those involved in military psychological selection, therefore, require both an appreciation of its history and an understanding of current theories and tools to succeed in the field, particularly during the rapid development of new procedures. A stepped framework is proposed to guide the implementation and evaluation of psychological assessment processes for military selection. The framework is used to consider the future of psychological assessment for military selection, including in areas such as data aggregation and personality testing that may be targeted for greater effect and efficiency.