MAPA National Norming Project

The MAPA National Norming Project

Over time, changes in policies, economic and political climate, and significant events like disasters and pandemics could impact the mental and behavioral functioning of individuals. Thus, it is imperative to keep norms of psychometric instruments current to accurately reflect the population's present performance, ensuring a precise interpretation of test results.

This underscores the urgent need to reassess and update the norms of the Masaklaw na Panukat ng Loob, as the most recent norms for this instrument date back to 2013. Moreover, with the utilization of Mapa ng Loob expanding beyond the National Capital Region, the current adult norms, which relied exclusively on samples from Metro Manila, are now inadequate. Hence, undertaking this project to establish new norms for Mapa ng Loob is both urgent and inevitable, driven by the impact of the pandemic on the lifestyles and experiences of Filipinos and the necessity to include people from different parts of the Philippines to develop a more inclusive and accurate representation of the Filipino population.

The norming process will be conducted by administering the Masaklaw na Panukat ng Loob to a minimum of 1,200 individuals, with the goal of achieving equitable and proportional representation of different demographic segments (e.g., age, education attainment, civil status, occupational status, etc.) across the country. The data collection period is estimated to last for a month, starting in February 2024 and ending in April 2024. Considering the nationwide scope of this project, it is crucial to leverage the expertise of reputable survey research firms with well-established systems, networks, and trained field personnel. This strategic approach is essential for the efficient, organized, and standardized execution of the norming process, meeting the critical criteria of precision and consistency in test administration.

The updated norms are to be published as part of a general revision of the Masaklaw na Panukat ng Loob during its 10th year anniversary celebration in June 2024. This development would position the Mapa ng Loob to be the only Filipino personality inventory with contemporary norms reflecting unique changes in the post-pandemic world. Thus, securing its capacity to provide meaningful and accurate assessments and interpretations of personality in clinical, industrial, educational and research settings. This, in turn, is expected to enhance the various utilities of the Mapa ng Loob, including increased productivity in job hiring, more precise clinical evaluations, well-informed career counseling, and the promotion of more rigorous research in Philippine Psychology, among other potential applications.