A SLP is selecting assessment measures for a study on autism. Which term describes the need for accurate descriptions of specific tests?

Content validity refers to the extent to which a test accurately represents the specific content or construct it is intended to measure. In the context of selecting assessment measures for a study on autism, having accurate descriptions of the specific tests ensures that the assessments are relevant and comprehensive in evaluating the characteristics of autism. Content validity emphasizes that the items within a test should cover all aspects of the construct being measured. In this case, a test with strong content validity would encompass the necessary behaviors and symptoms associated with autism to support accurate assessment and intervention strategies.

Criterion validity, on the other hand, involves how well one measure predicts or correlates with an outcome based on another, established measure. Construct validity focuses on whether a test truly measures a theoretical construct or trait, while internal validity pertains to the extent to which a study can establish a causal relationship between variables, unaffected by external factors. While these concepts are important in the context of research, they do not directly address the need for accurate descriptions of the specific tests as effectively as content validity does.