profileR: An R package for profile analysis

Abstract

A profile is a vector containing a person’s or group’s scores from an assessment. An assessment, defined here as a series of items used to measure one or more traits, is administered in a variety of contexts. For example, schools administer high-stakes standardized assessments for accountability purposes and to measure student aptitude and progress; a young adult exhibiting compensatory and binge eating behaviors may complete a brief assessment to ascertain the likelihood of an underlying eating disorder; and human resources may recommend whether to hire an applicant based on a personality assessment. A student’s, a young adult’s, and an applicant’s scores on these assessments make up their profile.