What is criterion-related validity and how is it established?

What is criterion-related validity and how is it established?

• A. It refers to the test's reliability coefficient
• B. It is established by assessing content validity
• C. It is based on face validity
• D. It is established by correlating test scores with relevant outcomes measured concurrently or in the future

Answer: (D)

Criterion-related validity is about how well a test score relates to an external criterion that reflects the construct’s real-world outcomes. It’s established by showing that test scores correlate with relevant outcomes measured either at the same time (concurrent validity) or in the future (predictive validity). The strength of that correlation indicates how accurately the test predicts or aligns with the criterion. For example, a new employment test would be validated by correlating its scores with subsequent job performance; a strong correlation supports its criterion-related validity. Reliability concerns consistency, not this predictive/associative relationship, while content validity and face validity relate to what the test covers and how it looks, not how well it predicts external criteria.

Criterion-related validity is about how well a test score relates to an external criterion that reflects the construct’s real-world outcomes. It’s established by showing that test scores correlate with relevant outcomes measured either at the same time (concurrent validity) or in the future (predictive validity). The strength of that correlation indicates how accurately the test predicts or aligns with the criterion. For example, a new employment test would be validated by correlating its scores with subsequent job performance; a strong correlation supports its criterion-related validity. Reliability concerns consistency, not this predictive/associative relationship, while content validity and face validity relate to what the test covers and how it looks, not how well it predicts external criteria.