On the use of “borrowed” scales in cross‐national research

Abstract

Cross‐national studies may be flawed through “borrowing” scales used in domestic studies, without examining their relevance and equivalence in other countries and contexts. Examining construct equivalence is an essential first step in the design of cross‐national and multi‐country studies. An important aspect is examining the equivalence in meaning and salience of a construct in all countries or contexts studied. Unless this is established, erroneous or misleading conclusions about the nature and significance of the construct in that context are likely to result. The importance of examining construct equivalence in cross‐national research is illustrated, based on a series of studies applying the CETSCALE in The Netherlands.