Module 06: Criterion Measurement

Description: This module examines how to measure job performance and other important outcomes in organizations. Students will learn about different types of criteria (objective vs. subjective, proximal vs. distal), sources of performance ratings, and common problems like rater bias and criterion contamination. The module covers both traditional performance measures and newer approaches like 360-degree feedback.

Why this Module is Important: Accurate performance measurement is essential for making fair decisions and providing useful feedback – skills that directly apply to clinical supervision, case documentation, and therapeutic progress assessment. Future counselors will need to evaluate their own performance, receive feedback from supervisors, and potentially assess the performance of supervisees or group members. Understanding how to create fair and effective measurement systems helps you navigate these professional requirements more successfully.

This module also helps you understand the performance challenges your clients face at work. Many clients struggle with performance reviews, feel unfairly evaluated, or don’t understand how their work is being assessed. Having knowledge of performance measurement principles makes you a more informed counselor who can help clients understand workplace feedback, advocate for themselves, and develop strategies for improvement.

Additionally, counseling work increasingly requires outcome measurement and accountability. Whether you’re documenting client progress, measuring group therapy effectiveness, or evaluating program success for funding purposes, understanding criterion measurement helps you develop better assessment tools and communicate your professional effectiveness to supervisors, clients, and stakeholders.

Module Learning Objectives: By the end of this module students will be able to…

• MLO1: Define types of performance criteria, rating sources, measurement systems, and important components of job performance. (ULO1, CLO1, APA1)
• MLO2: Distinguish between ultimate and actual criteria and recommend approaches for reducing counterproductive work behaviors based on research evidence. (ULO1, CLO1, CLO2, APA1, APA2)
• MLO3: Apply performance measurement principles to address counterproductive behaviors like absenteeism and communicate solutions through professional discussion. (ULO1, CLO3, CLO4, APA4, APA5)