In statistics and research, internal consistency is typically a measure based on the correlations between different items on the same test (or the same subscale on a larger test). It measures whether several items that propose to measure the same general construct produce similar scores. For example, if a respondent expressed agreement with the statements "I like to ride bicycles" and "I've enjoyed riding bicycles in the past", and disagreement with the statement "I hate bicycles", this would be indicative of good internal consistency of the test.
Internal consistency is usually measured with Cronbach's alpha, a statistic calculated from the pairwise correlations between items. Internal consistency ranges between negative infinity and one. Coefficient alpha will be negative whenever there is greater within-subject variability than between-subject variability.[1]
A commonly accepted rule of thumb for describing internal consistency is as follows:[2]
Very high reliabilities (0.95 or higher) are not necessarily desirable, as this indicates that the items may be redundant.[3] The goal in designing a reliable instrument is for scores on similar items to be related (internally consistent), but for each to contribute some unique information as well. Note further that Cronbach's alpha is necessarily higher for tests measuring more narrow constructs, and lower when more generic, broad constructs are measured. This phenomenon, along with a number of other reasons, argue against using objective cut-off values for internal consistency measures.[4] Alpha is also a function of the number of items, so shorter scales will often have lower reliability estimates yet still be preferable in many situations because they are lower burden.
An alternative way of thinking about internal consistency is that it is the extent to which all of the items of a test measure the same latent variable. The advantage of this perspective over the notion of a high average correlation among the items of a test – the perspective underlying Cronbach's alpha – is that the average item correlation is affected by skewness (in the distribution of item correlations) just as any other average is. Thus, whereas the modal item correlation is zero when the items of a test measure several unrelated latent variables, the average item correlation in such cases will be greater than zero. Thus, whereas the ideal of measurement is for all items of a test to measure the same latent variable, alpha has been demonstrated many times to attain quite high values even when the set of items measures several unrelated latent variables.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11] The hierarchical "coefficient omega" may be a more appropriate index of the extent to which all of the items in a test measure the same latent variable.[12][13] Several different measures of internal consistency are reviewed by Revelle & Zinbarg (2009).[14][15]
^Knapp, T. R. (1991). Coefficient alpha: Conceptualizations and anomalies. Research in Nursing & Health, 14, 457-480.
^George, D., & Mallery, P. (2003). SPSS for Windows step by step: A simple guide and reference. 11.0 update (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
^Streiner, D. L. (2003) Starting at the beginning: an introduction to coefficient alpha and internal consistency, Journal of Personality Assessment, 80, 99-103
^Peters, G.-J. Y (2014) The alpha and the omega of scale reliability and validity: Why and how to abandon Cronbach’s alpha and the route towards more comprehensive assessment of scale quality. European Health Psychologist, 16 (2). URL: http://ehps.net/ehp/index.php/contents/article/download/ehp.v16.i2.p56/1
^Cortina. J. M. (1993). What is coefficient alpha? An examination of theory and applications. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78, 98–104.
^Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16(3), 297–334.
^Green, S. B., Lissitz, R.W., & Mulaik, S. A. (1977). Limitations of coefficient alpha as an index of test unidimensionality. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 37, 827–838.
^Revelle, W. (1979). Hierarchical cluster analysis and the internal structure of tests. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 14, 57–74.
^Schmitt, N. (1996). Uses and abuses of coefficient alpha. Psychological Assessment, 8, 350–353.
^Zinbarg, R., Yovel, I., Revelle, W. & McDonald, R. (2006). Estimating generalizability to a universe of indicators that all have an attribute in common: A comparison of estimators for . Applied Psychological Measurement, 30, 121–144.
^McDonald, R. P. (1999). Test theory: A unified treatment. Psychology Press. ISBN0-8058-3075-8
^Zinbarg, R., Revelle, W., Yovel, I. & Li, W. (2005). Cronbach’s α, Revelle’s β, and McDonald’s ωH: Their relations with each other and two alternative conceptualizations of reliability. Psychometrika, 70, 123–133.
^Revelle, W., Zinbarg, R. (2009) "Coefficients Alpha, Beta, Omega, and the glb: Comments on Sijtsma", Psychometrika, 74(1), 145–154. [1]
^Dunn, T. J., Baguley, T. and Brunsden, V. (2013), From alpha to omega: A practical solution to the pervasive problem of internal consistency estimation. British Journal of Psychology. doi: 10.1111/bjop.12046
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February 20, 2023
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In statistics and research internal consistency is typically a measure based on the correlations between different items on the same test or the same subscale on a larger test It measures whether several items that propose to measure the same general construct produce similar scores For example if a respondent expressed agreement with the statements I like to ride bicycles and I ve enjoyed riding bicycles in the past and disagreement with the statement I hate bicycles this would be indicative of good internal consistency of the test Contents 1 Cronbach s alpha 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksCronbach s alpha EditMain article Cronbach s alpha Internal consistency is usually measured with Cronbach s alpha a statistic calculated from the pairwise correlations between items Internal consistency ranges between negative infinity and one Coefficient alpha will be negative whenever there is greater within subject variability than between subject variability 1 A commonly accepted rule of thumb for describing internal consistency is as follows 2 Cronbach s alpha Internal consistency0 9 a Excellent0 8 a lt 0 9 Good0 7 a lt 0 8 Acceptable0 6 a lt 0 7 Questionable0 5 a lt 0 6 Poora lt 0 5 UnacceptableVery high reliabilities 0 95 or higher are not necessarily desirable as this indicates that the items may be redundant 3 The goal in designing a reliable instrument is for scores on similar items to be related internally consistent but for each to contribute some unique information as well Note further that Cronbach s alpha is necessarily higher for tests measuring more narrow constructs and lower when more generic broad constructs are measured This phenomenon along with a number of other reasons argue against using objective cut off values for internal consistency measures 4 Alpha is also a function of the number of items so shorter scales will often have lower reliability estimates yet still be preferable in many situations because they are lower burden An alternative way of thinking about internal consistency is that it is the extent to which all of the items of a test measure the same latent variable The advantage of this perspective over the notion of a high average correlation among the items of a test the perspective underlying Cronbach s alpha is that the average item correlation is affected by skewness in the distribution of item correlations just as any other average is Thus whereas the modal item correlation is zero when the items of a test measure several unrelated latent variables the average item correlation in such cases will be greater than zero Thus whereas the ideal of measurement is for all items of a test to measure the same latent variable alpha has been demonstrated many times to attain quite high values even when the set of items measures several unrelated latent variables 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 The hierarchical coefficient omega may be a more appropriate index of the extent to which all of the items in a test measure the same latent variable 12 13 Several different measures of internal consistency are reviewed by Revelle amp Zinbarg 2009 14 15 See also EditCronbach s alpha Consistency statistics Reliability statistics References Edit Knapp T R 1991 Coefficient alpha Conceptualizations and anomalies Research in Nursing amp Health 14 457 480 George D amp Mallery P 2003 SPSS for Windows step by step A simple guide and reference 11 0 update 4th ed Boston Allyn amp Bacon Streiner D L 2003 Starting at the beginning an introduction to coefficient alpha and internal consistency Journal of Personality Assessment 80 99 103 Peters G J Y 2014 The alpha and the omega of scale reliability and validity Why and how to abandon Cronbach s alpha and the route towards more comprehensive assessment of scale quality European Health Psychologist 16 2 URL http ehps net ehp index php contents article download ehp v16 i2 p56 1 Cortina J M 1993 What is coefficient alpha An examination of theory and applications Journal of Applied Psychology 78 98 104 Cronbach L J 1951 Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests Psychometrika 16 3 297 334 Green S B Lissitz R W amp Mulaik S A 1977 Limitations of coefficient alpha as an index of test unidimensionality Educational and Psychological Measurement 37 827 838 Revelle W 1979 Hierarchical cluster analysis and the internal structure of tests Multivariate Behavioral Research 14 57 74 Schmitt N 1996 Uses and abuses of coefficient alpha Psychological Assessment 8 350 353 Zinbarg R Yovel I Revelle W amp McDonald R 2006 Estimating generalizability to a universe of indicators that all have an attribute in common A comparison of estimators for Applied Psychological Measurement 30 121 144 Trippi R amp Settle R 1976 A Nonparametric Coefficient of Internal Consistency Multivariate Behavioral Research 4 419 424 URL http www sigma research com misc Nonparametric 20Coefficient 20of 20Internal 20Consistency htm McDonald R P 1999 Test theory A unified treatment Psychology Press ISBN 0 8058 3075 8 Zinbarg R Revelle W Yovel I amp Li W 2005 Cronbach s a Revelle s b and McDonald s wH Their relations with each other and two alternative conceptualizations of reliability Psychometrika 70 123 133 Revelle W Zinbarg R 2009 Coefficients Alpha Beta Omega and the glb Comments on Sijtsma Psychometrika 74 1 145 154 1 Dunn T J Baguley T and Brunsden V 2013 From alpha to omega A practical solution to the pervasive problem of internal consistency estimation British Journal of Psychology doi 10 1111 bjop 12046External links Edithttps web archive org web 20090805095348 http wilderdom com personality L3 2EssentialsGoodPsychologicalTest html Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Internal consistency amp oldid 1060912833, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
