Chapter 10

Question 1

relates to the confidence we have that our measurement tools are giving us accurate information about a relevant construct so that we can apply results in a meaningful way

Answer 1

Validity

Question 2

Questions Addressed by Validity

Answer 2

Is a test capable of discriminating among individuals with and without certain traits, diagnoses, or conditions?
●Can the test evaluate the magnitude or quality of a variable or the degree of change from one time to another?
●Can we make useful and accurate predictions about a patient’s future function or status based on the outcome of a test?

Question 3

Reliability

Answer 3

Consistency of measurement

Question 4

Validity relates to

Answer 4

alignment of the measurement with a targeted construct; i.e., can inferences be made?

Question 5

Similarities of reliability and validity

Answer 5

•Do not consider as all-or-none
•Not an immutable characteristic of the instrument itself

Question 6

3 C’s of validity

Answer 6

•Content validity
•Criterion-related validity
•Construct validity

Question 7

Purpose of content validity

Answer 7

Establishes that the multiple items that make up a questionnaire, inventory, or scale adequately sample the universe of content that defines the construct being measured.

Question 8

Purpose of Criterion-related Validity

Answer 8

Establishes the correspondence between a target test and a reference or “gold” standard measure of the same construct.

Question 9

Purpose of concurrent validity

Answer 9

The extent to which the target test correlates with a reference standard taken at relatively the same time.

Question 10

Purpose of predictive validity

Answer 10

The extent to which the target test can predict a future reference standard.

Question 11

Purpose of construct validity

Answer 11

Establishes the ability of an instrument to measure the dimensions and theoretical foundation of an abstract construct.

Question 12

Purpose of convergent validity

Answer 12

The extent to which a test correlates with other tests of closely related constructs.

Question 13

Purpose of divergent validity

Answer 13

The extent to which a test is uncorrelated with tests of distinct or contrasting constructs.

Question 14

Refers to the adequacy that the complete universe of content is sampled by a test’s items.
•The items must adequately represent the full scope of the construct being studied.
•The number of items that address each component should reflect the relative importance of that component.
•The test should not contain irrelevant items.

Answer 14

Content validity

Question 15

●The implication that an instrument appears to test what is intended to test
●Not the same as content validity
•Face validity is a judgment by the users of a test after the test is developed
•Content validity evolves out of the process of planning and constructing a test

Answer 15

Face validity

Question 16

●Comparison of the results of a test to an external criterion
•Index test
•Gold or reference standard as the criterion
●Two types
•Concurrent validity
•Predictive validity

Answer 16

Criterion-Related Validity

Question 17

●Reflects the ability of an instrument to measure the theoretical dimensions of a construct
•Assessing presence of a latent trait

Answer 17

Construct validity

Question 18

Methods of construct validity

Answer 18

•Known-groups method
•Convergence and divergence
•Factor analysis

Question 19

standardized assessment designed to compare and rank individuals within a defined population.

Answer 19

norm-referenced test

Question 20

interpreted according to a fixed standard that represents an acceptable level of performance

Answer 20

criterion-referenced test

Question 21

Change scores used to:

Answer 21

•Demonstrate effectiveness of an intervention
•Track the course of a disorder over time
•Provide a context for clinical decision making

Question 22

Minimal clinically important difference (MCID)

Answer 22

The smallest difference that signifies an important difference in a patient’s condition

Question 23

Methodological Studies: Validity

Answer 23

●Fully understand the construct
●Consider the clinical context
●Consider several approaches to validation
●Consider validity issues if adapting existing tools
●Cross-validate outcomes