Which form of criterion validity assesses how well a measure predicts future outcomes?

• A. Predictive validity
• B. Concurrent validity
• C. Content validity
• D. Face validity

Answer: (A)

Predictive validity is the form of criterion validity that assesses how well a measure predicts future outcomes. The idea is to administer the measure now and then wait for a relevant outcome to occur later; the stronger the relationship between the predictor scores and future outcomes, the more predictive validity the measure has. This is often quantified with a correlation or used in regression to see how much of the variance in the future criterion the predictor explains.

For example, a screening test used for employment would be validated by looking at how well its scores forecast job performance after a period on the job. The other forms aren’t about predicting future results: concurrent validity links the measure to a criterion measured at the same time, content validity concerns whether the test covers all parts of the construct, and face validity is about whether the measure appears to assess what it’s supposed to, not about forecasting future outcomes.