Establishing Validity and Cross-Context Equivalence of Measures and Indicators
Establishing Validity and Cross-Context Equivalence of Measures and Indicators
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DOI：
10.1016/j.jand.2018.09.005
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发表时间：
2019-11-01
影响因子：
4.8
通讯作者：
Kirkpatrick, Sharon, I
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Frongillo, Edward A.;Baranowski, Tom;Kirkpatrick, Sharon, I
定量研究依赖于使用措施来收集有效的数据（即，很好地反映感兴趣的现象），并在不同的背景下表现相当。证明有效性和跨语境等价性需要专门设计的研究，但许多这样的研究有问题，限制了它们的有用性。本文解释了测量的有效性和跨上下文等价性（以及重要的相关概念），并阐明了如何建立它们。验证是确定一项措施或指标是否适合于为特定目的和背景提供有用的分析性衡量的过程。跨上下文等价性意味着度量在上下文之间执行互操作。四种类型的等价是结构、项目、测量和标量。建立有效性和跨上下文等效性需要在数学上表示测量的误差（即，不精确性，不可靠性和不准确性），并使用适当的统计方法来量化这些误差。旨在提供关于某一措施有效性的证据的研究需要澄清使用该措施的目的和背景。从两个概念系统中选择一个进行验证;获取数据，以确定该度量的构建良好、可靠和准确的程度;使用简单相关性之外的分析方法，为合理判断该度量是否为特定目的和背景提供有用的分析度量提供基础。确定一项测量的准确性需要有已知准确的其他测量作为比较;如果没有其他测量被认为更准确，那么研究将能够确定一致性而不是有效性。
Quantitative research depends on using measures to collect data that are valid (ie, reflect well the phenomena of interest) and perform equivalently across contexts. Demonstrating validity and cross-context equivalence requires specifically designed studies, but many such studies have problems that have limited their usefulness. This article explains validity and cross-context equivalence of measures (and important related concepts) and clarifies how to establish them. Validation is the process of determining whether a measure or indicator is suitable for providing useful analytical measurement for a given purpose and context. Cross-context equivalence means that a measure performs comparably across contexts. Four types of equivalence are construct, item, measurement, and scalar. Establishing validity and cross-context equivalence requires representing mathematically the errors (ie, imprecision, undependability, and inaccuracy) of a measure and using appropriate statistical methods to quantify these errors. Studies aiming to provide evidence about the validity of a measure need to clarify the purpose and context for use of that measure. Choose one of the two conceptual systems for validation; obtain data to establish the extent to which the measure is well constructed, reliable, and accurate; and use analytic methods beyond simple correlations to provide a basis for making reasoned judgment about whether the measure provides useful analytic measurement for the particular purpose(s) and context. Establishing accuracy of a measure requires having available other measures known to be accurate as comparators; in the case that no other measure understood to be more accurate is available, then the study will be able to establish agreement rather than validity.