Which type of validity is associated with predicting future criteria?

Predictive validity is a crucial concept in measurement and assessment, as it refers to the extent to which a test or assessment can accurately forecast future performance or behaviors based on a specific set of criteria. This type of validity is particularly important in scenarios where outcomes are assessed after an intervention or over a period of time, enabling evaluators to understand how well the initial measurements correspond with future results.

For instance, in the context of educational assessments, predictive validity would involve determining how well students' scores on a standardized test correlate with their performance in subsequent courses or on college entrance exams. This relationship demonstrates that the test effectively captures the relevant skills or knowledge that are indicative of future success in these areas.

In contrast, other types of validity serve different purposes: construct validity assesses whether a test truly measures the theoretical construct it claims to measure, content validity focuses on the extent to which the test covers the relevant content areas, and concurrent validity examines how well a test correlates with another established assessment measured at the same time. Each of these serves important functions in validating the effectiveness and appropriateness of tests, but predictive validity specifically centers on forecasting future performance, making it the correct answer in this context.