Integrating Validity Evidence to Revise a Child Abuse Knowledge Test for Early Childhood Education Providers: A Mixed...

Area of Science:

• Child Protection Training
• Program Evaluation
• Educational Measurement

Background:

• Child protection training evaluations for early childhood education providers face construct validity challenges.
• State-specific regulations for mandated reporting create contextual variability, impacting test validity.
• Existing research lacks guidance on revising evaluation instruments for these specific requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the use of validity evidence collection and integration to guide instrument revision.
• To develop a more valid program outcome measure for child protection training.
• To address the lack of guidance in evaluation practices concerning state-specific regulations.

Main Methods:

• Employed a mixed methods framework.
• Collected and integrated various forms of validity evidence.
• Focused on guiding the revision process of knowledge tests.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a practical approach to instrument revision using validity evidence.
• Showcased how mixed methods can enhance the validity of program outcome measures.
• Provided a pathway to more accurate evaluations of child protection training.

Conclusions:

• Integrating validity evidence through mixed methods is crucial for refining program evaluation tools.
• This approach enhances the accuracy of measuring training effectiveness in regulated fields.
• The study offers a model for improving evaluation practices in early childhood education and beyond.