(P.S.: Review this and all STEPPE/Hedbring reference lists often; they are in constant flux as new literature is uncovered, recommended, or encountered. We are all in this together, so please be quick and eager to point out errors or additional literature you find compelling. Thank you.)

Definition: Validity is a set of measurement procedures concerned with ensuring that the instrument (survey,test,exam,interview,SAT,GRE) in fact accurately and correctly measures what it purports or intends to measure.

In the measurement literature, several types of validity have been studied, including: (1) Content validity -- the degree to which the content of an instrument (e.g., test) reflects or represents the knowledge base it purports or intends to measure. (2) Construct validity -- the degree to which an instrument (test, exam, term paper) accurately and correctly measures the variable (construct) -- stress,success,achievement,motivation,racism, full inclusion,integration,IQ/intelligence,criminality -- it purports or intends to measure. (3) Predictive validity -- the degree to which an instrument (e.g., SAT, GRE) correctly and accurately predicts the future occurrence of or performance on a specific variable (computer competence of 6th graders, as predicted by the measured computer competence of 5th grader, using the same test measure). (4) Ecological validity -- the degree to which an instrument (e.g., profiles) correctly and accurately generalizes to circumstances beyond but similar to the original experimental setting.

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Baer, D.M., & Schwartz, I.S. (1991). If reliance on epidemiology were to become epidemic, we would need to assess its social validity. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24, 231-234.

Bracht, G.H., & Glass, G.V. (1968). The external validity of experiments. American Education Research Journal, 5, 437-474.

Brinberg, D., & McGrath, J.E. (1985). Validity and the research process. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

Brooks, P.H., & Baumeister, A.A. (1977). A plea for consideration of ecological validity in the experimental psychology of mental retardation: A guest editorial. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 81, 407-416.

Campbell, D.T. (1957). Factors relevant to the validity of experiments in social settings. Psychological Bulletin, 54, 297-312.

Cronbach, L.J. (1988). Five perspectives on the validity argument. In H. Waner & H.I. Braun (Eds.), Test validity (pp. 3-17). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Cronbach, L.J., & Meehl, P.E. (1955). Construct validity in psychological tests. Psychological Bulletin, 52, 281-302.

Cronbach, L.J., & Shapiro, K. (1982). The limited research of internal validity. In L.J. Cronbach & K. Shapiro (Eds.), Designing evaluations of educational and social programs (pp. 112-157). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Dahlloff, U. (1971). Ability grouping, content validity, and curriculum process analysis. New York: Teachers College Press.

Eisenhart, M., & Howe, K. (1992). Validity in educational research. In M.D. LeCompte, W.L. Millroy, & J. Preissle (Eds.), The handbook of qualitative research in education (pp. 643-680). New York: Academic Press.

Evans, I. (1987). Moving to educational validity: A reply to Test, Spooner, and Cooke. Journal of The Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 12, 103-106.

Fawcett, S.B. (1991). Social validity: A note on methodology. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24, 235-239.

Fawcett, S.B., & Miller, L.K. (1975). Training public speaking behavior: An experimental analysis and social validation. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 8, 125-136.

Fee, V.E., Matson, J.L., Moore, L.A., & Benavidez, D.A. (1993). The differential validity of hyperactivity/attention deficits and conduct problems among mentally retarded children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 21, 1-11.

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Forehand, R., Wells, K., & Griest, D. (1980). An examination of the social validity of a parent training program. Behavior Therapy, 11, 488-502.

Gaylord-Ross, R. (1979). Mental retardation research, ecological validity, and the delivery of longitudinal educational programs. Journal of Special Education, 13, 69-80.

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Green, B.F. (1987). Construct validity of computer-based tests. In H. Wainer & H.I. Braun (Eds.), Test validity (pp. 77-86). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Haertel, E. (1985). Construct validity and criterion-referenced testing. Review of Educational Research, 55, 23-46.

Hall, G.C., Proctor, W.C., & Nelson, G.M. (1988). Validity of physiological measures of pedophilic sexual arousal in a sexual offender population. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56, 118-122.

Hawkins, R.P. (1991). Is social validity what we are interested in? Argument for a functional approach. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24, 205-213.

Hoge, R.D. (1985). The validity of direct observation measure of pupil classroom behavior. Review of Educational Research, 55, 469-483.

Holmes, M.R., Hansen, D.J., & St. Lawrence, J.S. (1984). Conversational skills training with aftercare patients in the community: Social validation and generalization. Behavior Therapy, 15, 84-100.

Hudson, A. (1992). Assessing the validity of facilitated communication. Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 9, 24-29.

Hudson, A., Melita, B., & Arnold, N. (1993). Brief report: A case study assessment of the validity of facilitated communication. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 23, 165-173.

Jenkins, J.R., Pious, C.G., & Peterson, D.L. (1988). Categorical programs for remedial and handicapped students: Issues of validity. Exceptional Children, 55, 147-158.

Jones, R.T., Kazdin, A.E., & Haney, J.I. (1981). Social validation and training of emergency fire safety skills for potential injury prevention and life saving. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 14, 249-260.

Kamphaus, R.W. (1992). Authentic assessment and content validity. School Psychology Quarterly, 6, 300-304.

Kazdin, A.E. (1977). Assessing the clinical or applied importance of behavior change through social validation. Behavior Modification, 1, 427-452.

Kazdin, A.E., & Matson, J.L. (1981). Social validation in mental retardation. Applied Research in Mental Retardation, 2, 39-53.

Kennedy, C.H. (1992). Trends in the measurement of social validity. The Behavior Analyst, 15, 147-156.

Kirk, J., & Miller, M. (1986). Reliability and validity in qualitative research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

Kohr, M.A., Parrish, J.M., Neef, N.A., Driessen, J.R., & Hallinan, P.C. (1988). Communication skills training for parents: Experimental and social validation. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 21, 21-30.

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McConaghy, M. (1989). Validity and ethics of penile circumference measures of sexual arousal: A critical review. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 18, 357-369.

Messick, S. (1989). Validity. In R. Linn (Ed.), Educational measurement (3rd ed., pp. 13-104). New York: Macmillan.

Minkin, N., Braukmann, C.J., Minkin, B.L., Timbers, G.D., Timbers, B.J., Fixsen, L., Phillips, E.L., & Wolf, M.M. (1976). The social validation and training of conversational skills. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 9, 127-139.

Murphy, W.D., Krisak, J., Stalgaitis, S.J., & Anderson, K. (1984). The use of penile tumescence measures with incarcerated rapists: Further validity issues. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 13, 545-554.

Perry, A., Bebko, J., & Bryson, S. (1994). Letter to the editor: Validity of facilitated communication: Failure to replicate Calculator and Singer (1992). Topics in Language Disorders, 14, 79-82.

Quinn, J.M., Sherman, J.A., Sheldon, J.B., Quinn, L.M., & Harchik, A.E. (1992). Social validation of component behaviors of following instructions, accepting criticism, and negotiating. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 401-413.

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Schwartz, I.S., & Baer, D.M. (1991). Social validity assessments: Is current practice state of the art? Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24, 189-204.

Scotti, J.R., Evans, I.M., Meyer, L.H., & Walker, P. (1991). A meta-analysis of intervention research with problem behavior: Treatment validity and standards of practice. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 96, 233-256.

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Thousand, J.S., Burchard, S.N., & Hasazi, J.E. (1986). Field-based generation and social validation managers and staff competencies for small community residences. Applied Research in Mental Retardation, 7, 263-283.

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