Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC) Practice Exam

Which type of validity focuses on the external generalizability of research findings?

1. Statistical conclusion validity

2. Construct validity

3. External validity

4. Internal validity

The correct answer is: External validity

External validity specifically relates to the extent to which research findings can be generalized beyond the specific context of the study to other settings, populations, or times. It assesses whether the results of a study can be applied in real-world situations outside of the controlled environment in which the research was conducted. For instance, if a nursing intervention is tested in a hospital setting, external validity would examine whether the same intervention would yield similar outcomes in different hospitals or in community settings. In contrast, statistical conclusion validity focuses on the accuracy of conclusions drawn from data, while construct validity relates to whether the test accurately measures the concept it is intended to measure. Internal validity, on the other hand, pertains to the degree to which a study establishes a cause-and-effect relationship by controlling extraneous variables. Understanding external validity is crucial for nursing professionals to ensure that evidence-based practices can be effectively implemented in diverse patient populations and varying healthcare environments.