Selecting, developing, and evaluating research instruments.
The goal of this paper is to provide researchers who are not experts in psychometric theory with a concise guide to instrument selection, development and evaluation. Issues of context - factors related to the setting or population in which an instrument will be used - and psychometrics - the functioning of an instrument within a given context - are reviewed and discussed. Finally, four categories or types of instruments, and the psychometric analyses that are necessary for establishing the reliability and validity of each type, are described.
Switzer
G E
GE
Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Wisniewski
S R
SR
Belle
S H
SH
Dew
M A
MA
Schultz
R
R
D006801:Humans; D011581:Psychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results