What does a high internal consistency indicate about an assessment?

A high internal consistency indicates that all test items measure the same concept effectively. This means that the items within the assessment are aligned and contribute similarly to the overall construct being measured. When an assessment has high internal consistency, it reflects that the items are consistently capturing the same underlying trait or ability, which enhances the credibility and reliability of the assessment outcomes.

Internal consistency is often assessed using statistical measures like Cronbach's alpha, where a high value suggests that the items correlate well with each other. This coherence among items is essential for ensuring that the results can be interpreted accurately regarding what they are intended to measure, ultimately providing confidence in the assessment's validity in occupational therapy practice.