In a study measuring self-esteem in adolescent mothers, what type of validity is assessed by comparing it to a known self-esteem instrument?

When measuring self-esteem in adolescent mothers by comparing the results obtained from the study to a known self-esteem instrument, the type of validity being assessed is concurrent validity. This form of validity evaluates how well a new measure correlates with a well-established measure of the same construct that is administered at the same time.

In this context, by using a known self-esteem instrument that has already been validated, the researcher can affirm that the measurements of self-esteem in the new study align closely with existing data on self-esteem, indicating that the new instrument is capturing the concept effectively at the same point in time. This comparison is crucial because it adds credibility to the findings of the new study, suggesting that the instrument is a reliable measure of self-esteem for this specific population.

Other types of validity, such as predictive validity, are concerned with how well a test predicts future outcomes based on its results, while construct validity examines whether a test truly measures the theoretical construct it is intended to measure. Divergent validity assesses whether concepts or measurements that are supposed to be different are, in fact, different. These concepts are relevant but do not directly apply in this case of validating the measurement against a known standard.