Content validation and content validity index calculation for entrepreneurial behavior instruments among vocational college students in China

Abstract

This paper aims to assess entrepreneurial behavior among vocational college students in China with a valid measurement, the content validity index (CVI). Content validity is essential for substantiating the accuracy of an assessment tool such as questionnaires, particularly in the context of research. In this process, content validity was ensured through use of an expert panel approach comprising five individuals with expertise in the studied field. Therefore, vocational college students’ entrepreneurial behavior, which consists of entrepreneurial activities, overcoming failure, and proactive behavior, was analyzed and tested using CVI. This research included five expert panels in the field of entrepreneurial education in China, and a 4-point relevance rating scale that has already been proven to have high efficacy was used in this study. There are two types of CVIs, the Scale-level Content Validity Index (S-CVI) and the Item-level Content Validity Index (I-CVI). Items scoring less than 1.00 on the I-CVI or less than 0.9 on the S-CVI were removed. The researcher found that the constructs of entrepreneurial behavior, including entrepreneurial activities, overcoming failure, and proactive behavior, demonstrated strong content validity in assessing the extent of entrepreneurial behavior among vocational college students in China. After this stage, further research on construct validity and reliability tests with the current scale is recommended. The results further confirm its suitability, indicating that this scale is applicable for researchers exploring studies that focus on entrepreneurial behavior within the context of vocational colleges.