Measurement invariance and differential item functioning of the Bar-On EQ-i: S measure over Canadian, Scottish, South African and Australian samples

2011 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 286-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gina Ekermans ◽  
Donald H. Saklofske ◽  
Elizabeth Austin ◽  
Con Stough
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhongquan Li ◽  
Xia Zhao ◽  
Ang Sheng ◽  
Li Wang

Abstract Background Anxiety symptoms are pervasive among elderly populations around the world. The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (the GAI) has been developed and widely used in screening those suffering from severe symptoms. Although debates about its dimensionality have been mostly resolved by Molde et al. (2019) with bifactor modeling, evidence regarding its measurement invariance across sex and somatic diseases is still missing. Methods This study attempted to provide complemental evidence to the dimensionality debates of the GAI with Mokken scale analysis and to examine its measurement invariance across sex and somatic diseases by conducting differential item functioning (DIF) analysis among a sample of older Chinese adults. The data was from responses of a large representative sample (N = 1314) in the Chinese National Survey Data Archive, focusing on the mental health of elderly adults. Results The results of Mokken scale analysis confirmed the unidimensionality of the GAI, and DIF analysis indicated measurement invariance of this inventory across individuals with different sex and somatic diseases, with just a few items exhibiting item bias but all of them negligible. Conclusions All these findings supported the use of this inventory among Chinese elders to screen anxiety symptoms and to make comparisons across sex and somatic diseases.


2017 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 158-178
Author(s):  
Ishreen Rawoot ◽  
Maria Ann Florence

This article forms part of a larger study that sought to develop and validate a scale to measure individual and contextual factors associated with adolescent substance use in low-socio-economic status South African communities. The scale was developed to inform the process of designing preventative interventions in these communities. This study assessed the construct equivalence and item bias across different language versions of the scale. Exploratory factor analysis, equality of reliabilities, and the Tucker’s phi coefficient of congruence were employed to assess whether the two language versions were equivalent at a scale level. Differential item functioning analysis was conducted using ordinal logistic regression and the Mantel-Haenszel method at an item level. The findings revealed that there are significant differences between the two groups at a scale level. Items were flagged as presenting with moderate to large differential item functioning. The biased items have to be closely examined in order to decide how to address the bias.


F1000Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 782
Author(s):  
John J. O. Mogaka ◽  
Moses J. Chimbari

Background: Omics-based biomarkers (OBMs) inform precision medicine (PM). As omics-based technologies gradually move into clinical settings, however, a co-occurrence of biomedical research and clinical practice is likely an important variable in the implementation of PM. Currently, little is known about the implications of such research-practice co-occurrence. Methods: This study used data collected from a pilot study designed to inform a full-scale PM implementation study through the validation of the measurement tool. It applied item response theory (IRT) methods to assess the tool’s reliability and measurement invariance across two study subgroups associated with research and practice settings. Results: The study sample consisted of 31 participants. Measurement invariance assessment was through differential item functioning (DIF) analysis with bootstrapping through Monte Carlo simulation. Overall, 13 out of 22 items that formed the PMI scale had DIF at significance level α=0.25. Item response functions (IRFs) revealed how each subgroup members responded to scale items and their attitudes towards factors that influence PM implementation. Conclusions: Attitudinal similarities and differences towards factors influencing PM implementation amongst those in biomedical research as compared with those in practice were established. Results indicated PM implementation knowledge that is unique and common to both groups. The study established the validity and reliability of the new PM implementation measurement tool for the two subgroups.


2004 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. K. Huysamen

This article briefly describes the main procedures for performing differential item functioning (DIF) analyses and points out some of the statistical and extra-statistical implications of these methods. Research findings on the sources of DIF, including those associated with translated tests, are reviewed. As DIF analyses are oblivious of correlations between a test and relevant criteria, the elimination of differentially functioning items does not necessarily improve predictive validity or reduce any predictive bias. The implications of the results of past DIF research for test development in the multilingual and multi-cultural South African society are considered. Opsomming Hierdie artikel beskryf kortliks die hoofprosedures vir die ontleding van differensiële itemfunksionering (DIF) en verwys na sommige van die statistiese en buite-statistiese implikasies van hierdie metodes. ’n Oorsig word verskaf van navorsingsbevindings oor die bronne van DIF, insluitend dié by vertaalde toetse. Omdat DIF-ontledings nie die korrelasies tussen ’n toets en relevante kriteria in ag neem nie, sal die verwydering van differensieel-funksionerende items nie noodwendig voorspellingsgeldigheid verbeter of voorspellingsydigheid verminder nie. Die implikasies van vorige DIF-navorsingsbevindings vir toetsontwikkeling in die veeltalige en multikulturele Suid-Afrikaanse gemeenskap word oorweeg.


2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 201-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian F. French ◽  
Brian Hand ◽  
William J. Therrien ◽  
Juan Antonio Valdivia Vazquez

Critical thinking (CT) can be described as the conscious process a person does to explore a situation or a problem from different perspectives. Accurate measurement of CT skills, especially across subgroups, depends in part on the measurement properties of an instrument being invariant or similar across those groups. The assessment of item-level invariance is a critical component of building a validity argument to ensure that scores on the Cornell Critical Thinking Test (CCTT) have similar meanings across groups. We used logistic regression to examine differential item functioning by sex in the CCTT-Form X. Results suggest that the items function similarly across boys and girls with only 5.6% (4) of items displaying DIF. This implies that any mean differences observed are not a function of a lack of measurement invariance and supports the validity of the inferences drawn when comparing boys and girls on scores on the CCTT.


2011 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne Goliath-Yarde ◽  
Gert Roodt

Orientation: South Africa’s unique cultural diversity provides a constant challenge about the fair and unbiased use of psychological measures in respect of their cross-cultural application.Research purpose: This study assesses the Differential Item Functioning (DIF) of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-17) for different South African cultural groups in a South African company.Motivation for the study: Organisations are using the UWES-17 more and more in South Africa to assess work engagement. Therefore, research evidence from psychologists or assessment practitioners on its DIF across different cultural groups is necessary.Research design, approach and method: The researchers conducted a Secondary Data Analysis (SDA) on the UWES-17 sample (n = 2429) that they obtained from a cross-sectional survey undertaken in a South African Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector company (n = 24 134). Quantitative item data on the UWES-17 scale enabled the authors to address the research question.Main findings: The researchers found uniform and/or non-uniform DIF on five of the vigour items, four of the dedication items and two of the absorption items. This also showed possible Differential Test Functioning (DTF) on the vigour and dedication dimensions.Practical/managerial implications: Based on the DIF, the researchers suggested that organisations should not use the UWES-17 comparatively for different cultural groups or employment decisions in South Africa.Contribution/value add: The study provides evidence on DIF and possible DTF for the UWES-17. However, it also raises questions about possible interaction effects that need further investigation.


2021 ◽  
pp. 003151252110008
Author(s):  
Christophe Maïano ◽  
Alexandre J. S. Morin ◽  
Johanne April ◽  
Maike Tietjens ◽  
Charlaine St-Jean ◽  
...  

In this study, we examined the psychometric properties of a French version of the Perceived Motor Competence in Childhood (PMC-C) questionnaire. The participants were 219 French-speaking children (aged 5-12 years), recruited from elementary schools in the Canadian Province of Quebec. Results supported the validity and reliability of a second-order confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) model, including one higher-order factor. Additional analyses supported the complete measurement invariance of the first- and second-order factor structure across sex and indicated no differential item functioning or latent mean differences in PMC-C factors as a function of selected predictors (i.e., age, body mass-index and physical activity/sport involvement). Thus, this French version of the PMC-C has satisfactory psychometric properties (i.e., factor validity and reliability, measurement invariance and differential item functioning) and can be used to assess French-speaking children’s perceived motor competence.


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