Cronbachs Alpha

One problem with the split-half method is that the reliability estimate obtained using any random
split of the items is likely to differ from that obtained using another. One solution to this problem
is to compute the Spearman-Brown corrected split-half reliability coefficient for every one of the
possible split-halves and then find the mean of those coefficients. This is the motivation for
Cronbachs alpha.
Cronbachs alpha is superior to uder and !ichardson "ormula #$ since it can be used with
continuous and non-dichotomous data. %n particular& it can be used for testing with partial credit
and for 'uestionnaires using a (ikert scale.
Definition 1) *iven variable x+, , xk and x$ , and Cronbachs alpha is defined to be
Property 1) (et xj = tj + ej where each ej is independent of tj and all the ej are independent of
each other. -lso let x$ , and t$ , . Then the reliability of x$ . where is
Cronbachs alpha.
/ere we view the xj as the measured values& the tj as the true values and the ej as the
measurement error values. Click here for a proof of 0roperty +.
Observation) Cronbachs alpha provides a useful lower bound on reliability 1as seen in 0roperty
+2. Cronbachs alpha will generally increase when the correlations between the items increase.
"or this reason the coefficient measures the internal consistency of the test. %ts ma3imum value is
+& and usually its minimum is $& although it can be negative 1see below2.
- commonly-accepted rule of thumb is that an alpha of $.4 1some say $.52 indicates acceptable
reliability and $.6 or higher indicates good reliability. 7ery high reliability 1$.89 or higher2 is not
necessarily desirable& as this indicates that the items may be entirely redundant. These are only
guidelines and the actual value of Cronbachs alpha will depend on many things. :.g. as the
number of items increases& Cronbachs alpha tends to increase too even without any increase in
internal consistency.
The goal in designing a reliable instrument is for scores on similar items to be related 1internally
consistent2& but for each to contribute some uni'ue information as well.
Observation) There are an number reasons why Cronbachs alpha could be low or even negative
even for a perfectly valid test. Two such reasons are reverse coding and multiple factors.
Reverse coding) Suppose you use a (ikert scale of + to 4 with + meaning strongly disagree and 4
meaning strongly agree. Suppose two of your 'uestions are) ;+) <% like pi==a> and ;#$) <%
dislike pi==a>. These 'uestions ask the same thing& but with reverse wording. %n order to apply
Cronbachs alpha properly you need to reverse the scoring of any negatively phrased 'uestion&
;#$ in our e3ample. Thus if a response to ;#$ is say #& it needs to be scored as 5 instead of #
1i.e. 6 minus the recorded score2.
Multiple factors) Cronbachs alpha is useful where all the 'uestions are testing more or less the
same thing& called a <factor>. %f there are multiple factors then you need to determine which
'uestions are testing which factors. %f say there are ? factors 1e.g. happiness with your job,
happiness with your marriage and happiness with yourself2& then you need to split the
'uestionnaire@test into three tests& one containing the 'uestions testing factor +& one with the
'uestions testing factor # and the third with 'uestions testing factor ?. Aou then calculate
Cronbachs alpha for each of the three tests. The process of determining these <hidden> factors
and splitting the test by factor is called "actor -nalysis 1see "actor -nalysis2.
Exaple 1) Calculate Cronbachs alpha for the data in :3ample + of uder and !ichardson
"ormula #$ 1repeated in "igure + below2.
"igure + B Cronbachs -lpha for :3ample +
The worksheet in "igure + is very similar to the worksheet in "igure + of uder and !ichardson
"ormula #$. !ow +4 contains the variance for each of the 'uestions. :.g. the variance for
'uestion + 1cell B+42 is calculated by the formula ,7-!01BC)B+92. Other key formulas used to
calculate Cronbachs alpha in "igure + are described in "igure #.
!igure " # $ey forulas for the %or&sheet in !igure 1
Since the 'uestions only have two answers& Cronbachs alpha .4?$6# De see that this is the same
as the De see that this is the same as the !#$ reliability calculated for :3ample + of uder and
!ichardson "ormula #$.
Observation) %f the variances of the xj vary widely& the xj can be standardi=ed to obtain a
standard deviation of + prior to calculating Cronbachs alpha.
Observation) To determine how each 'uestion on a test impacts the reliability& Cronbachs alpha
can be calculated after deleting the ith variable& for each i k. Thus for a test with k 'uestions&
each with score xj& Cronbachs alpha is calculated for for all i where , .
%f the reliability coefficient increases after an item is deleted& you can assume that the item is not
highly correlated with the other items. Conversely& if the reliability coefficient decreases& you can
assume that the item is highly correlated with the other items.
Exaple ") Calculate Cronbachs alpha for the survey in :3ample +& where any one 'uestion is
removed.
The necessary calculations are displayed in "igure ?.
"igure ? B Cronbachs -lpha for :3ample #
:ach of the columns B through ( represents the test with one 'uestion removed. Column B
corresponds to 'uestion E+& column C corresponds to 'uestion E#& etc. "igure C displays the
formulas corresponding to 'uestion E+ 1i.e. column B2F the formulas for the other 'uestions are
similar. Some of the references are to cells shown in "igure #.
!igure ' # $ey forulas for
%or&sheet in !igure (
-s can be seen from "igure ?& the omission of any single 'uestion doesnt change the Cronbachs
alpha very much. !emoval of ;6 affects the result the most.
Observation) -nother way to calculate Cronbachs alpha is to use the )%o !actor A*O+A
%ithout Replication data analysis tool on the raw data and note that)
Exaple () Calculate the Cronbachs alpha for :3ample + using -GO7-.
De begin by running :3cels Anova, )%o !actor %ithout Replication data analysis tool using
the data in range BC)(+9 of the worksheet shown in "igure +.
"igure 9 B Calculation of Cronbachs alpha using -GO7-
-s you can see from "igure 9& Cronbachs alpha is .4?6$#& the same value calculated in "igure +.
Observation) -lternatively& we could use the !eal Statistics )%o !actor A*O+A data analysis
tool& setting the *uber of Ro%s per -aple to +. De can also obtain the same result using the
following supplemental function.
Real -tatistics !unction) The following function is provided in the !eal Statistics !esource
0ack)
CRO*A.P/A1!+2 , Cronbachs alpha for the data in range !+
-s noted above& for the data in "igure +& C!OG-(0/-1BC)(+92 , .4?6$+8.
Exaple ') Calculate Cronbachs alpha for a +$ 'uestion 'uestionnaire with (ikert scores
between + and 4 based on the +9 person sample shown in "igure 5.
"igure 5 B Calculation of Cronbachs alpha for :3ample C
-s you can see from "igure 5& Cronbachs alpha is $.98+4#& a little below the generally
acceptable range. De get the same answer by using the supplemental formula in the !eal
Statistics !esource 0ack& namely C!OG-(0/-1BC)+62 , $.98+4#.