Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC) Practice Exam

When identifying reliability in assessment tools, what does a high Pearson r correlation signify?

1. Different assessments produce similar results

2. Consistency across repeated measurements

3. Validity of the assessment

4. Poor performance of the instrument

The correct answer is: Consistency across repeated measurements

A high Pearson r correlation is a statistical measure that indicates the degree to which two variables are linearly related. In the context of reliability in assessment tools, a high Pearson r signifies strong consistency across repeated measurements. This means that if the same assessment is administered multiple times under similar conditions, the results will be similar or consistent, reflecting the reliability of the tool. This consistency is crucial in ensuring that assessments produce stable and repeatable results over time, which is a key component of reliability. If an assessment tool is reliable, it should yield similar outcomes regardless of when or how often it is administered, as long as the underlying trait being measured has not changed. The other options do not accurately capture the concept of reliability as it relates to Pearson r. Different assessments producing similar results pertains more to construct validity or convergent validity, while the validity of the assessment does not directly correlate with reliability statistics. Poor performance of the instrument would imply low reliability, which is contrary to what a high Pearson r would indicate.