Validity

Validity is a concept that is central to understanding the reliability and trustworthiness of measurements and observations. It refers to the extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure. Validity is important in both qualitative and quantitative research.

Types of Validity[edit | edit source]

There are several types of validity, including:

Content Validity: This refers to the extent to which a measure represents all facets of a given construct. For example, a depression scale may lack content validity if it only assesses the affective dimension of depression but fails to take into account the behavioral dimension.

Criterion Validity: This is the extent to which a measure is related to an outcome. Criterion validity is often divided into concurrent and predictive validity.

Construct Validity: This is the degree to which a test measures what it claims, or purports, to be measuring.

Face Validity: This is the extent to which a test is subjectively viewed as covering the concept it purports to measure.

Threats to Validity[edit | edit source]

There are several threats to validity, including:

History: This refers to the specific events occurring between the first and second measurements in addition to the experimental variables.

Maturation: This refers to processes within the participants as a function of the passage of time.

Testing: This refers to the effects of taking a test upon the scores of a second testing.

Instrumentation: This refers to changes in calibration of a measurement tool or changes in the observers or scorers may produce changes in the obtained measurements.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Validity Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? Need help finding a doctor or specialist anywhere in the world? Explore our world directory. WikiMD's DocFinder can assist you in locating millions of physicians.	Medical Knowledge Access the latest research - Most recent articles Ongoing trials.