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After reading this article you will be able to: learn the steps to construct a test for any social science concept that needs to be measured, understand the concepts and techniques to make the constructed test psychometrically robust. For example, the scores of a newly constructed test of intelligence are matched to students' current grades in class (concurrent) and are also matched to their final grade point average a year later. A definition of validity as the extent to which scores on the measure capture what is intended would suggest that what counts as evidence of validity depends on what is claimed for the measure. The principle goal of factor analysis is to reduce the number of dimensions needed to describe data derived from a large number of measures, and in this case it is to explore the dimensions underlying the variable being measured. Other things being equal, tests that permit objective scoring are preferred. Theoretically, the comparable-forms approach may reflect scorer, content, and temporal reliability. A simple way to compute the index of discrimination (D) using the classical test theory (CCT) approach is to arrange the respondents total scores (sum or average of all the items) for the test in descending order and classify the respondents into three distinct groups: those scoring the highest 27% of marks, those scoring lowest 27% and those in the middle. For example, if a person weighs themselves during the day, they would expect to see a similar reading. BOX 2 Types of validity used in test checking. A test presumed to measure anxiety, for example, would give evidence of construct validity if those with high scores (high anxiety) can be shown to learn less efficiently than do those with lower scores. What Is Reliability in Psychology and Why Is It Important? Such content validation is widely employed in measuring academic achievement but with recognition of the inevitable role of judgment. Cronbach's alpha is one commonly used measure if the variable is unidimensional, and it can be quickly calculated using statistical software. Reliability (stability or consistency) of a constructed test can be checked using a variety of methods (Box 1). Validity is a fundamental psychometric property of psychological tests. 1 It is vital for a test to be valid in order for the results to be accurately applied and interpreted. Christoforou, Andri intelligence). The data are then submitted to EFA to examine the underlying theoretical structure of the test. Validity Beyond Measurement: Why Psychometric Validity Is Insufficient Tan, Chee-Seng A scree plot shows the eigenvalues for a 12-item test. master the method to translate an existing psychological test to create an equally valid scale in another language. For example, if all the items of the test refer to the anxiety symptoms such as trembling, fearfulness, thoughts of failure, this might induce a temporary preference to respond in a set way to all the items. We can also get information about the person from those in constant contact with them or from records about them. Understanding and assessing a person's behaviour usually requires in-depth interaction with or observation of the person over a period of time. One method entails obtaining scores on separate halves of the test, usually the odd-numbered and the even-numbered items. Since the construct itself is not directly measurable, the adequacy of any test as a measure of anxiety can be gauged only indirectly; e.g., through evidence for its construct validity. It can be applied in individual or group testing. The PBC is sometimes preferred because it identifies items that correctly discriminate between high- and low-scoring groups, as defined by the test as a whole, instead of the upper and lower 27% of a group. In the classic model of test validity, construct validity is one of three main types of validity evidence, alongside content validity and criterion validity. 1 In quantitative item analysis, the item difficulty index D lies in the range: 2 The various kinds of reliability used in test checking do not include: 5 In determining factor structure, factors are extracted on the basis of: c the magnitude of the factor loading of the items under each factor. and The 2-test, RMSEA and SRMR belong to the category of absolute fit indices, which examine how far the model being tested is from perfect fit. New York: Routledge. 2023. Motrico, Emma and J.F. Validity of psychological assessment: Validation of inferences from The concept of validity. Authors argue that the two fundamental principles for talking about validity espoused in the standards for educational and psychological testing have been consistently ignored and suggest that obtaining a technical definition of validity may not be a feasible option, and instead it may be more practical to focus on the overall quality of a test. For example, cognitive ability is a construct that's used to explain a person's capacity to understand and solve problems. For example, the test item I believe in the second coming of Christ would lack face validity as a measure of depression (as the purpose of the item is unclear). Once the test has proven to be psychometrically sound, with high reliability and validity, a manual is created that summarises the test-making procedure as well as giving instructions on how to use the test. Poljianin, Ana different structure, factor loading) of any differences. Psychological testing - Validity, Predictive, Content, and Construct A brief account of evaluating the three elements is provided below. A consensus has emerged that validity does not reside in the measuring instrument per se, but rather in the inferences drawn from the scores. in an ability test), free oral responses (e.g. They should also discourage them from discontinuation or refusing to answer specific questions. Psychological Methods 17.1:3143. A well-constructed test that taps all aspects of a concept or situation in a scientific way and has been confirmed to be consistent can offset many of these problems and be a quick and accurate tool. Hostname: page-component-7ff947fb49-j6tc7 Recall that the purpose of CFA is to verify the model suggested by EFA. PDF CONSTRUCT VALIDITY IN PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS - GitHub Pages imi, Nataa They can answer self-report questions on the basis of their past behaviour or their possible response to various imagined situations. The validity of psychological and educational tests Included among the major methods through which test reliability estimates are made is the comparable-forms technique, in which the scores of a group of people on one form of a test are compared with the scores they earn on another form. Estimating the reliability and validity is aimed at making the scale even more robust. Interestingly, a measure can be reliable without being valid, but a measure cannot be valid without being reliable (Eldridge Reference Eldridge, Boswell and Cannon2017; Kimberlin Reference Kimberlin and Winterstein2008). Hathaway, S. R., & McKinley, J. C. (1943). Scales that measured weight differently each time would be of little use. The response a person makes to a test is a function not just of the item content but also of the form of the items and the test direction. Please subscribe or login. Contact the Testing Office of the APA Science Directorate at (202) 336-6000 or via email. The respondents should be asked whether they understand the meaning of the items and to describe them in their own words (Ntourantonis Reference Ntourantonis, Panagopoulos and Iliopoulos2017). Last updated: August 18, 2022 Date created: November 10, 2013 4 min read Testing, Assessment, and Measurement 57 Cite this In Validity theory and the methods used in validation: Perspectives from the social and behavioral sciences. Integrated medical and primary care, online assessment and scoring, and global initiatives are examples of these new areas. The sum of the responses to all the items is taken as the score. In this article, we take the reader through easy-to-follow practical steps involved in three processes: developing a test, validating it and translating it. To test for construct validity, it must be demonstrated that the phenomenon being measured actually exists. 2022. Scree plots and eigenvalues are the two widely used indicators to determine the number of factors to be retained. Abu Bakar, Afi Roshezry Bin It is important to note that that the eigenvalue method is not without limitations. The two versions should be compared and discrepancies between them discussed and resolved between the translators, preferably with input from the researcher or another unbiased bilingual translator not involved in the previous translations. In the test-retest method, scores of the same group of people from two administrations of the same test are correlated. A validity scale, in psychological testing, is a scale used in an attempt to measure reliability of responses, for example with the goal of detecting defensiveness, malingering, or careless or random responding. The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (AERA, APA, and NCME 1999) define validity as "the degree to which evidence and theory support the interpretations of test scores entailed by the proposed uses of a test." This definition is simple, but very broad, encompassing a wide range of evidence and theory. low error variance) and hence better predictions can be made (Rosenthal Reference Rosenthal and Rosenthal2011). Validity in Psychological Testing and Scientific Realism For illustrative purposes, let us take the example of anxiety. Just as we would expect a weighing scale to display what we actually weigh (validity) and to show the correct weight every time we use it (reliability), the same trustworthiness is expected in psychological testing, even though the concepts being measured are not tangible. Fekih-Romdhane, Feten If findings or results remain the same or similar over multiple attempts, a researcher often considers it reliable. To avoid this response set, some of the items could be worded in the reverse direction (reverse wording), with corresponding reverse scoring. There is no single way to measure it: construct validity should be demonstrated from a number of perspectives, by an accumulation of evidence (Brown Reference Brown1996). In scale or test development, the purpose of CFA is to examine the fitness of the structure of the test (also called a model in CFA) or how closely observed data match the relationships specified in a hypothesized model.
