Clarity on Cronbach’s Alpha Use

Barbera, Jack; Naibert, Nicole; Komperda, Regis; Pentecost, Thomas C.

doi:10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00183

Cited by 68 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 6 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…As a result, coefficient beta is smaller than coefficient alpha (and their generalizations) by the ratio of the item effect variance and observed score variance. This result agrees with previous literature about the error score variance (such as Brennan, 2001; 2011; Barbera et al., 2021; Raykov, 1998).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Reconceptualization of Coefficient Alpha Reliability for Test Summed and Scaled Scores

Almehrizi

2022

Educational Measurement

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Coefficient alpha reliability persists as the most common reliability coefficient reported in research. The assumptions for its use are, however, not well‐understood. The current paper challenges the commonly used expressions of coefficient alpha and argues that while these expressions are correct when estimating reliability for summed scores, they are not appropriate to extend coefficient alpha to correctly estimate the reliability for nonlinearly transformed scaled scores such as percentile ranks and stanines. The current paper reconceptualizes coefficient alpha as a complement of the ratio of two unbiased estimates of the summed score variance. These include conditional summed score variance assuming uncorrelated item scores (gives the error score variance) and unconditional summed score variance incorporating intercorrelated item scores (gives the observed score variance). Using this reconceptualization, a new equation of coefficient generalized alpha is introduced for scaled scores. Coefficient alpha is a special case of this new equation since the latter reduces to coefficinet alpha if the scaled scores are the summed scores themselves. Two applications (cognitive and psychological assessments) are used to compare the performance (estimation and bootstrap confidence interval) of the reliability coefficients for different scaled scores. Results support the new equation of coefficient generalized alpha and compare it to coefficient generalized beta for parallel test forms. Coefficient generalized alpha produced different reliability values, which were larger than coefficient generalized beta for different scaled scores.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Barbera et al. (2021) argued that it is a result of the ambiguous and imprecise language used to describe what information is communicated by an estimated value of alpha. Coefficient alpha has specific definitions of both true scores and error scores in the reliability context.…”

Section: Reconceptualization Of Coefficient Alpha For Summed Scoresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconceptualization of Coefficient Alpha Reliability for Test Summed and Scaled Scores

Almehrizi

2022

Educational Measurement

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The internal consistency of all the scales in the MHT was computed with ROPstat (Vargha et al, 2015). Table 3 shows that the Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega values mostly being above .80 (DeVellis, 2016;Barbera et al, 2020) were adequate for all scales. One possible way to improve the internal consistency would be to drop one item from the Resilience subscale (item 6: "Stressful events are difficult to bear").…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The internal consistency of all the scales in the MHT was computed with ROPstat (Vargha et al, 2015). Table 8 indicates that the Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega values mostly being above .71 (DeVellis, 2016; Barbera et al, 2020) were adequate for all scales.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A New Complex Mental Health Test in a Positive Psychological Framework

Zábó¹,

Oláh²,

Vargha³

2022

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

According to the Maintainable Positive Mental Health Theory (MPMHT), the main pillars of positive mental health are global well-being, efficient coping that enables an individual to maintain positive conditions and functioning, savoring capacity, resilience, and dynamic self-regulation. This study presents the validation of a new five-scale mental health test, the Mental Health Test (MHT) that operationalizes MPMHT. The methodology comprised two online cross-sectional studies using self-report questionnaires. Participants in Study I (n = 1,736; 448 males, 1,288 females; mean age 51.3 years; SD = 11.6 years) filled in the MHT, the Flow, the PERMA Questionnaire (PERMA-Profiler), and the Flourishing Scale. Participants in Study II (n = 1,083; 233 males, 847 females; mean age 33.9 years; SD = 12.2 years) filled in the MHT, the Shortened Aspiration Index, the short form of the Beck Depression Inventory, the WHO Well-Being Index, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Purpose in Life Test, and the Schema Questionnaire–Short Form. Exploratory factor analysis identified a five-factor structure with 17 items in Study I that was confirmed with excellent fit measures in confirmatory factor analysis in Study II. Both studies indicated a high level of internal consistency (above .70). In each subscale, a minimum part of 44% did not overlap with the set of the other subscales. The content validity of the subscales was confirmed by 10 tests of mental health. We found a positive correlation of the self-regulation and resilience subscales with age, while women showed a higher level of savoring than men at all age levels. When Study I was replicated after two weeks and again after 11 months, excellent internal consistency and good test–retest correlation values of the MHT scales were found. The MHT can thus be considered a reliable and valid measurement tool for mental health.

show abstract

“…Cronbach's ɑ, the single administration reliability (Barbera et al, 2021), for the stereochemistry pretest was 0.66 and 0.73 for the posttest. These reliabilities are within the acceptable range for science education research instruments which tend to measure more than one concept or construct (Taber, 2018;Tavakol & Dennick, 2011).…”

Section: Stereochemistry Pre-and Posttestsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Advancing multimedia learning for science: Comparing the effect of virtual versus physical models on student learning about stereochemistry

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Embodied learning tools (ELTs), such as building and manipulating models, bolster students' learning of spatially demanding science content, such as stereochemistry.However, studies comparing the effectiveness of virtual to physical ELTs on student learning are limited. This study compares online instruction using a virtual ELT, virtual models, to a physical ELT, physical models, on organic chemistry students' stereochemistry understanding. Furthermore, it identifies which tool promotes the transfer and application of spatial science content to higher order concepts, such as reaction mechanisms. Lastly, the role of students' spatial skills is considered. To assess the magnitude of the effect of each tool, two control groups were included, a text-based instruction and a no instruction group.Results revealed that the physical model group showed greater stereochemistry understanding compared to the no instruction group, while there was no difference between the virtual model and the no instruction groups. When asked to apply their knowledge to reasoning about reaction mechanisms, the physical model group outperformed the virtual model group and both control groups. Students' spatial skills did not influence their understanding of either concept in any learning condition. These results suggest that regardless of spatial skills, physical ELTs may provide the

show abstract

Clarity on Cronbach’s Alpha Use

Cited by 68 publications

References 6 publications

Reconceptualization of Coefficient Alpha Reliability for Test Summed and Scaled Scores

Reconceptualization of Coefficient Alpha Reliability for Test Summed and Scaled Scores

A New Complex Mental Health Test in a Positive Psychological Framework

Advancing multimedia learning for science: Comparing the effect of virtual versus physical models on student learning about stereochemistry

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About