„Infidelitãțile“ coeficientului de fidelitate Cronbach alfa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24837/pru.v9i1.395Keywords:
psychological tests, internal consistencyAbstract
Cronbach alpha coefficient is still commonly used in research dedicated to the development of psychological
tests. However, there is a certain lack of understanding of the significance of real and, especially, has its limits.
The article presents the fundamental postulates of classical test theory and analyzes, in this context, the main
issues affecting the calculation and interpretation of Cronbach alpha coefficient: unidimensionality, internal consistency,
item number, characteristics of the data, the sampling error. Finally, are summarized recommendations
of good practices on the use and reporting Cronbach's alpha.
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References
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Correcting for Measurement Error Attenuation in
Structural Equation Models: Some Important
Reminders. Educational and Psychological Measurement,
57(5), 785-799.
Borsboom, D. (2006). The attack of the psychometricians.
Psychometrika, 71(3), 425-440.
Carretta, T. R., & Ree, M. J. (2001). Pitfalls of Ability
Research. International Journal of Selection and
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Christmann, A., & Van Aelst, S. (2006). Robust estimation
of Cronbach's alpha. Journal of Multivariate
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Cortina, J. M. (1993). What is coefficient alpha? An
examination of theory and applications. Journal of
Applied Psychology, 78, 98-104.
Creþu, R. Z. (2005). Evaluarea personalitatii: metode
alternative. Iaºi: Polirom.
Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient Alpha and The
Internal Structure of Tests. Psychometrika(16), 3.
Cronbach, L. J., Rajaratnam, N., & Gleser, G. C.
(1963). Theory of generalizability: A liberalization
of reliability theory. British Journal of Statistical
Psychology, 16(2), 137-163.
Dugard, P., Todman, J., & Staines, H. (2010). Approaching
Multivariate Statistics: A Practical Introduction
(Second ed.). London and New York: Routledge,
Taylor Francis Group.
Duhachek, A., & Iacobucci, D. (2004). Alpha’s Standard
Error (ASE): An Accurate and Precise Confidence
Interval Estimate Journal of Applied Psychology,
89(5), 792-808.
Ercan, I., Yazici, B., Sigirli, D., Ediz, B., & Kan, I.
(2007). Examining Cronbach Alpha, Theta,
Omega Reliability Coefficients According to the
Sample Size. Journal of Modern Applied Statistical
Methods, 6(1), 291-303.
Fan, X., & Thompson, B. (2001). Confidence Intervals
About Score Reliability Coefficients, Please: An
EPM Guidelines Editorial. Educational and Psychological
Measurement, 61(4), 517-531.
Field, A. (2009). Discovering Statistics Using SPSS
(Third ed.): SAGE Publications.
Garson, D. (2010). Statnotes: Topics in Multivariate Analysis
– Reliability Analysis. Retrieved 08.12.2010,
from http://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/garson/PA765/rel
iab.htm.
Graham, J. M. (2006). Congeneric and (Essentially) Tau-
Equivalent Estimates of Score Reliability: What
They Are and How to Use Them Educational and
Psychological Measurement, 66(6), 930-944.
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(4), 827-838.
„Infidelitãþile“ coeficientului de fidelitate Cronbach alfa
98
Green, S. B., & Yang, Y. (2009). Reliability of Summed
Item Scores Using Structural Equation Modeling:
An Alternative to Coefficient Alpha. Psychometrika,
74(1), 155-167.
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John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (versiune online: http://w
ww.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=8818547#).
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Ambiguous; Unduly Ubiquitous. SA Journal
of Industrial Psychology, 32(4), 34-40 (http://ww
w.sajip.co.za/index.php/sajip/article/viewF
ile/242/239).
Kanyongo, G. Y., Brook, G. P., Kyei-Blankson, L., &
Gocmen, G. (2007). Reliability and Statistical
Power: How Measurement Fallibility Affects Power
and Required Sample Sizes for Several Parametric
and Nonparametric Statistics. Journal of Modern
Applied Statistical Methods, 6(1), 81-90.
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approach to design and evaluation. Thousand
Oaks: Sage Publications.
Koning, A. J., & Franses, P. H. (2003). Confidence Intervals
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MKT) (http://publishing.eur.nl/ir/repub/asset/43
1/ERS-2003-041-MKT.pdf).
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of outliers on Cronbach’s coefficient alpha estimate
of reliability: Ordinal/rating scale item responses.
Educational and Psychological Measurement,
70(1), 5-21.
Liu, Y., & Zumbo, B. D. (2007). The Impact of Outliers
on Cronbach's Coefficient Alpha Estimate of Reliability:
Visual Analogue Scales. Educational and
Psychological Measurement, 67, 620-634.
Lozano, L. M., Garcia-Cueto, E., & Muniz, J. (2008).
Effect of the Number of Responses Categories on
the Reliability and Validity of Rating Scales.
Methodology: European Journal of Research
Methods for the Behavioral and Social Sciences,
4(2), 73-79.
McNemar, Q. (1946). Opinion-Attitude Methodology.
Psychological Bulletin 43, 289-374.
Muchinsky, P. M. (1996). The Correction for Attenuation.
Educational and Psychological Measurement,
56(1), 63-75.
Pitariu, H., & Albu, M. (1996). Psihologia personalului:
I. Mãsurarea ºi interpretarea diferenþelor individuale.
Cluj-Napoca: Editura Presa Universitarã
Clujeanã.
Popa, M. (2010). Scala de evaluare a adaptarii la stres
(SEAS-37).Unpublished manuscript.
Raykov, T. (1997). Estimation of Composite Reliability
for Congeneric Measures. Applied Psychological
Measurement, 21(2), 173-184.
Ree, M. J., & Carretta, T. R. (2006). The Role of Measurement
Error in Familiar Statistics. Organizational
Research Methods, 9(1), 99-112.
Schmitt, N. (1996). Uses and abuses of coefficient alpha.
Psychological Assessment, 8, 350-353.
Sijtsma, K. (2009). On the Use, the Misuse, and the
Very Limited Usefulness of Cronbach’s Alpha.
Psychometrika, 74(1), 107-120.
Spearman, C. (1904). The Proof and Measurement of
Association between Two Things. The American
Journal of Psychology, 15(1), 72-101.
Tan, ª. (2009). Misuses of KR-20 and Cronbach’s
Alpha Reliability Coefficients. Education and Science,
34(152), 101-112 (http://egitimvebilim.ted.o
rg.tr/index.php/EB/article/viewFile/595/175).
ten Holt, J. C., van Duijn, M. A. J., & Boomsma, A.
(2010). Scale construction and evaluation in practice:
Areview of factor analysis versus item response
theory applications Psychological Test and Assessment
Modeling, 52(3), 272-297
Widhiarso, W. (2007). Estimate Reliability Measurement
for Multidimensional Scales Unpublished Research
Summary. Faculty of Psychology. Gadjah Mada
University (http://academia.edu.documents.s3.am
azonaws.com/1803835/Estimate_Reliability_Measurement_
for_Multidimensional_Scales.pdf).
Wilkinson L. &Task Force on Statistical Inference.
(1999). Statistical methods in psychology journals:
Guidelines and explanations. American Psychologist
(10.04.2009: http://www.loyola.edu/library/re
f/articles/Wilkinson.pdf), 54, 594-604.
Zeller, R. A. (Ed.) (2001) Encyclopedia of Sociology
(Second ed., Vols. 4). Macmillan Reference USA.
Zimmerman, D. W., & Williams, R. H. (1997). Properties
of the Spearman Correction for Attenuation
for Normal and Realistic Non-Normal Distributions.
Applied Psychological Measurement, 21(3),
253-270.
For Computing Confidence Intervals For Commonly
Used Score Reliability Coefficients. Educational
and Psychological Measurement, 65(6),
980-983.
Bedeian, A. G., Day, D. V., & Kelloway, E. K. (1997).
Correcting for Measurement Error Attenuation in
Structural Equation Models: Some Important
Reminders. Educational and Psychological Measurement,
57(5), 785-799.
Borsboom, D. (2006). The attack of the psychometricians.
Psychometrika, 71(3), 425-440.
Carretta, T. R., & Ree, M. J. (2001). Pitfalls of Ability
Research. International Journal of Selection and
Assessment, 9(4), 325-335.
Christmann, A., & Van Aelst, S. (2006). Robust estimation
of Cronbach's alpha. Journal of Multivariate
Analysis, 97(7), 1660-1674.
Cortina, J. M. (1993). What is coefficient alpha? An
examination of theory and applications. Journal of
Applied Psychology, 78, 98-104.
Creþu, R. Z. (2005). Evaluarea personalitatii: metode
alternative. Iaºi: Polirom.
Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient Alpha and The
Internal Structure of Tests. Psychometrika(16), 3.
Cronbach, L. J., Rajaratnam, N., & Gleser, G. C.
(1963). Theory of generalizability: A liberalization
of reliability theory. British Journal of Statistical
Psychology, 16(2), 137-163.
Dugard, P., Todman, J., & Staines, H. (2010). Approaching
Multivariate Statistics: A Practical Introduction
(Second ed.). London and New York: Routledge,
Taylor Francis Group.
Duhachek, A., & Iacobucci, D. (2004). Alpha’s Standard
Error (ASE): An Accurate and Precise Confidence
Interval Estimate Journal of Applied Psychology,
89(5), 792-808.
Ercan, I., Yazici, B., Sigirli, D., Ediz, B., & Kan, I.
(2007). Examining Cronbach Alpha, Theta,
Omega Reliability Coefficients According to the
Sample Size. Journal of Modern Applied Statistical
Methods, 6(1), 291-303.
Fan, X., & Thompson, B. (2001). Confidence Intervals
About Score Reliability Coefficients, Please: An
EPM Guidelines Editorial. Educational and Psychological
Measurement, 61(4), 517-531.
Field, A. (2009). Discovering Statistics Using SPSS
(Third ed.): SAGE Publications.
Garson, D. (2010). Statnotes: Topics in Multivariate Analysis
– Reliability Analysis. Retrieved 08.12.2010,
from http://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/garson/PA765/rel
iab.htm.
Graham, J. M. (2006). Congeneric and (Essentially) Tau-
Equivalent Estimates of Score Reliability: What
They Are and How to Use Them Educational and
Psychological Measurement, 66(6), 930-944.
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(4), 827-838.
„Infidelitãþile“ coeficientului de fidelitate Cronbach alfa
98
Green, S. B., & Yang, Y. (2009). Reliability of Summed
Item Scores Using Structural Equation Modeling:
An Alternative to Coefficient Alpha. Psychometrika,
74(1), 155-167.
Gulliksen, H. (1950). Theory Of Mental Tests. New York:
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (versiune online: http://w
ww.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=8818547#).
Huysamen, G. K. (2006). Coefficient Alpha: Unnecessarily
Ambiguous; Unduly Ubiquitous. SA Journal
of Industrial Psychology, 32(4), 34-40 (http://ww
w.sajip.co.za/index.php/sajip/article/viewF
ile/242/239).
Kanyongo, G. Y., Brook, G. P., Kyei-Blankson, L., &
Gocmen, G. (2007). Reliability and Statistical
Power: How Measurement Fallibility Affects Power
and Required Sample Sizes for Several Parametric
and Nonparametric Statistics. Journal of Modern
Applied Statistical Methods, 6(1), 81-90.
Kline, T. J. B. (2005). Psychological testing: a practical
approach to design and evaluation. Thousand
Oaks: Sage Publications.
Koning, A. J., & Franses, P. H. (2003). Confidence Intervals
for Cronbach’s Coefficient Alpha Values: Erasmus
Research Institute of Management: Report
Series Research in Management (RS-2003-041-
MKT) (http://publishing.eur.nl/ir/repub/asset/43
1/ERS-2003-041-MKT.pdf).
Liu, Y., Wu, A. D., & Zumbo, B. D. (2010). The impact
of outliers on Cronbach’s coefficient alpha estimate
of reliability: Ordinal/rating scale item responses.
Educational and Psychological Measurement,
70(1), 5-21.
Liu, Y., & Zumbo, B. D. (2007). The Impact of Outliers
on Cronbach's Coefficient Alpha Estimate of Reliability:
Visual Analogue Scales. Educational and
Psychological Measurement, 67, 620-634.
Lozano, L. M., Garcia-Cueto, E., & Muniz, J. (2008).
Effect of the Number of Responses Categories on
the Reliability and Validity of Rating Scales.
Methodology: European Journal of Research
Methods for the Behavioral and Social Sciences,
4(2), 73-79.
McNemar, Q. (1946). Opinion-Attitude Methodology.
Psychological Bulletin 43, 289-374.
Muchinsky, P. M. (1996). The Correction for Attenuation.
Educational and Psychological Measurement,
56(1), 63-75.
Pitariu, H., & Albu, M. (1996). Psihologia personalului:
I. Mãsurarea ºi interpretarea diferenþelor individuale.
Cluj-Napoca: Editura Presa Universitarã
Clujeanã.
Popa, M. (2010). Scala de evaluare a adaptarii la stres
(SEAS-37).Unpublished manuscript.
Raykov, T. (1997). Estimation of Composite Reliability
for Congeneric Measures. Applied Psychological
Measurement, 21(2), 173-184.
Ree, M. J., & Carretta, T. R. (2006). The Role of Measurement
Error in Familiar Statistics. Organizational
Research Methods, 9(1), 99-112.
Schmitt, N. (1996). Uses and abuses of coefficient alpha.
Psychological Assessment, 8, 350-353.
Sijtsma, K. (2009). On the Use, the Misuse, and the
Very Limited Usefulness of Cronbach’s Alpha.
Psychometrika, 74(1), 107-120.
Spearman, C. (1904). The Proof and Measurement of
Association between Two Things. The American
Journal of Psychology, 15(1), 72-101.
Tan, ª. (2009). Misuses of KR-20 and Cronbach’s
Alpha Reliability Coefficients. Education and Science,
34(152), 101-112 (http://egitimvebilim.ted.o
rg.tr/index.php/EB/article/viewFile/595/175).
ten Holt, J. C., van Duijn, M. A. J., & Boomsma, A.
(2010). Scale construction and evaluation in practice:
Areview of factor analysis versus item response
theory applications Psychological Test and Assessment
Modeling, 52(3), 272-297
Widhiarso, W. (2007). Estimate Reliability Measurement
for Multidimensional Scales Unpublished Research
Summary. Faculty of Psychology. Gadjah Mada
University (http://academia.edu.documents.s3.am
azonaws.com/1803835/Estimate_Reliability_Measurement_
for_Multidimensional_Scales.pdf).
Wilkinson L. &Task Force on Statistical Inference.
(1999). Statistical methods in psychology journals:
Guidelines and explanations. American Psychologist
(10.04.2009: http://www.loyola.edu/library/re
f/articles/Wilkinson.pdf), 54, 594-604.
Zeller, R. A. (Ed.) (2001) Encyclopedia of Sociology
(Second ed., Vols. 4). Macmillan Reference USA.
Zimmerman, D. W., & Williams, R. H. (1997). Properties
of the Spearman Correction for Attenuation
for Normal and Realistic Non-Normal Distributions.
Applied Psychological Measurement, 21(3),
253-270.
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Published
2020-01-24
How to Cite
Popa, M. . (2020). „Infidelitãțile“ coeficientului de fidelitate Cronbach alfa. Psihologia Resurselor Umane, 9(1), 85–99. https://doi.org/10.24837/pru.v9i1.395
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