Which validity type evaluates how well test scores predict future outcomes?

• A. Predictive validity
• B. Generalizability
• C. Construct validity
• D. Content validity

Answer: (A)

Predictive validity is about how well test scores forecast something that will happen in the future. When a test score is used to predict a future outcome—like how well a student will perform in the next semester or how a job candidate will perform on the job—the strength of that forecast is assessed by looking at the relationship between the test scores and the future criterion. A strong relationship means high predictive validity, while a weak relationship means limited predictive usefulness. In this question, predicting future outcomes is the exact idea, so predictive validity is the type being described. By comparison, generalizability concerns whether findings hold across different groups or settings; construct validity asks whether the test measures the intended theoretical trait; content validity checks if the items adequately cover the domain.