The Australian Computerised Vocational Interest Inventory 1986-99 7th Edition 2001

ACVII software, constructed and published in 1987 (Sixth edition 1997), was widely used throughout Australia and New Zealand. The inventory still remains the only “three times standardised and statistically normed Australian test”. ACVII and its brother test NZ7 are administered in settings of: State Secondary and Independent schools; Universities; Sports Institutes; TAFE Colleges; Hospitals; Medical clinics; Private practices; Rehabilitation centres; Government departments, Staff selection agencies. Software-user Lists 1987-2000 are available on request.

Australia’s pioneer in computerised psychological test software construction, as a prolific author, Brian achieved comprehensive R&D including numerous published accompanying manuals containing comprehensive statistical analysis.

Software Pioneering

Back in 1963, when Optical scanners were not yet invented, Dr Costello administered Australia’s first Fortran computer science test. From 1979 onwards, he specialised in standardising computerized psychological assessment and biofeedback personality tests. These comprised two postdoctoral fellowships at the Cassel Psychology Centre, San Diego. As early as 1981, he was transmitting computerised biofeedback physiological data via acoustic couplers with his former mentor, Dr Russell N Cassel, the innovator of computerized biofeedback psychological testing.

Dr Costello continued working over three decades with his two former mentors and distinguished colleagues,
Colonel Russel N. Cassel USAF FSR-2
Former Professor of Psychology
Universities of Kentucky and Wisconsin

and now in 2007 since Dr Cassel’s passing continues publishing with Dr John K Meyer Cassel Institute, San Diego

Australian and US Life Mission Career Tests

By 1987, Dr Costello constructed the Australian Computerised Vocational Interest Inventory ACVII and also the ALMT Australian Life Mission Test. In 1988, he launched NZSTAR software New Zealand Study Technique Assessment Report and in 1989 the Australian version, ACSTAR.

At San Diego in 1994, Dr John Kellog Meyer thoughtfully standardized data between Australian and US student and adult samples for 112 non-verbal career picture responses for the USLMT computerized biofeedback test. Cross-cultural precise statistical norms achieved unusual accuracy and clarity with highly significant statistical correlations between Australian and US populations.

Mathew considering future career as an animal trainer.

After originating the ALMT he built his second computerised biofeedback instrument. The US Life Mission Test USLMT was presented in continuous workshop demonstrations at the 1994 Annual California Career Conference in San Francisco. This inovation led to refinements for the Computerized Polygraph (Pinocchio Assessment Profile PAP) advertised in J. Forensic Examiner for which he gave documentation to the NCA, FBI Washington and the US Melbourne Consulate. This advanced statistical documentation was introduced to the United States in 1994 and also offered to the American College of Forensic Examiners and South Alabama Police Forensics Dept in 1997 and was finally published in the Journal of Instructional Psychology, Vol 33, No 4, 2006..The ALMT US AUS statistical standardization authored by Dr Costello and Dr Meyer was presented at the Annual International Council of Psychologists in 1998 at Melbourne.

Software Published & Distributed By Cassel Research Centre 1986-2001

The prefix letters “AC” abbreviated for ‘Australian Computerised’ was used for the following self-scoring and self-reporting tests. This was because in 1986 computer software was not generally used in schools. ISBN reference indexes are provided if desired on request:

  1. ACVII Australian Computerised Vocational Interest Inventory.
  2. ACSTAR Australian Computerised Study Technique Assessment Report
  3. NZSTAR New Zealand Study Techniques Assessment Report.
  4. NZC7 New Zealand Computerised Vocational Interest Inventory.
  5. ACDRIA Australian Computerised Driving Instructors Assessment (MS DOS only).
  6. ACMAP Australian Computerised Marriage Assessment Profile.
  7. ACHAP Australian Computerised Human Relations Profile (MS DOS only).
  8. ALMT Australian Life Mission Test Computerised Biofeedback Non-Verbal Career Picture Profile (MS DOS only).
  9. USLMT United States Life Mission Test Computerised Biofeedback NonVerbal Career Picture Profile (MS DOS only).