Development and psychometric properties of the Faxtor Mechanical Aptitude Test (FMAT)

The development of assessment tools in Indonesia that measure mechanical ability is severely limited. The assessment tool that was regularly administered to measure that ability was translated more than 40 years ago without any information regarding the standardization of the test. This study aimed to report on the development and evaluation of the initial psychometric properties of the Faxtor Mechanical Aptitude Test (FMAT). A total of 276 engineering students participated in the study, completing the 25-item FMAT along with measures of Fluid Reasoning (Gf) and Visual Processing (Gv). Analyses of reliability, internal structure validity via Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and convergent validity were conducted. Results indicated that the FMAT possesses good internal consistency reliability, its hypothesized four-domain structure was confirmed with an excellent model fit, and it demonstrated significant positive correlations with both Gf and Gv. These findings provide strong initial evidence supporting the FMAT as a reliable and valid instrument for assessing mechanical reasoning potential, with practical implications for talent selection and development in industrial settings.