Cronbach's alpha

Cronbach's alpha (Cronbach's ${\displaystyle \alpha }$), also known as tau-equivalent reliability (${\displaystyle \rho _{T}}$) or coefficient alpha (coefficient ${\displaystyle \alpha }$), is a reliability coefficient and a measure of the internal consistency of tests and measures. It was named after the American psychologist Lee Cronbach.

Numerous studies warn against using Cronbach's alpha unconditionally. Statisticians regard reliability coefficients based on structural equation modeling (SEM) or generalizability theory as superior alternatives in many situations.