Please let me know if I am correct.
An example of criterion validity is when a human service professional uses a scale to measure risk of suicide. If the scale is valid it should correlate with the occurence of negative behaviors which harm one self
Yes, you are correct. Criterion validity is a type of validity that assesses whether a measurement or scale accurately predicts or correlates with a known criterion or outcome. In your example, if a human service professional is using a scale to measure the risk of suicide, the criterion would be the occurrence of negative behaviors that harm oneself.
To assess the criterion validity of the scale, the professional would compare the scores obtained from the scale to the actual occurrence of negative behaviors related to self-harm or suicide. If the scale has good criterion validity, there should be a positive correlation between higher scores on the scale and a higher likelihood of negative behaviors or self-harm.
To determine whether the scale has criterion validity, the professional would need to collect data from individuals who have completed the scale and then observe their behavior over a period of time. The professional can then analyze the data and calculate the correlation between the scale scores and the occurrence of negative behaviors to determine the validity of the scale.