Question

Define validity and reliability as they pertain to employee testing. Describe how these two terms/concepts apply to substance abuse screening in the workplace.

Answer 1

Define validity and reliability as they pertain to employee testing

Validity

• It measures the degree to which a test actually measures what it claims to measure
• It is determined by research conducted by test publishers
• It employs guidelines established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• There are three types of Validity-
  • Content validity - identifies specific behaviors and tasks required for a given job
  • Criterion validity - determines whether a test accurately predicts on-the-job performance
  • Construct validity - identifies which dimensions of a test relate to one another

Reliability

• It implies that a test produces consistent results over time
• If a person takes a test today and then takes the same test six months from now, the test would be considered reliable if the results of both tests are similar

Describe how these two terms/concepts apply to substance abuse screening in the workplace.

• A good employment test must be valid and reliable
• It must measure what it claims to measure and do so consistently
• It is directly related to the job for which a person is being considered, and it measures one or more important job characteristics