Item-Response Theory Psychometric Analysis and Factor Structure of                     the Self-Compassion and Self-Criticism Scales

Abstract. The study verifies the psychometric properties of the Slovak version of the Self-Compassion and Self-Criticism Scales (SCCS) using item response theory, factor analysis, and scale validity. The survey sample was collected by convenience sampling and consisted of 514 participants (27% men and 73% women) with a mean age of 26.16 years (SD = 8.32). A two-dimensional structure of the scale was not confirmed. The Self-Criticism subscale of the SCCS remained the same as in the original study, and the Self-Compassion subscale of the SCCS was divided into the subscales Self-Compassion (compassionate reaction to self) and Self-Reassurance (reassuring and soothing reactions to self). The Slovak translation of the SCCS seems to be a reliable instrument to measure the level of self-compassion and self-criticism. The validity of the SCCS should be further explored by linking the scale results to directly observable outcome measures as there are significant but very weak correlations with other related scales. This could be due to differences between situational and trait self-compassion and self-criticism.

Download Full-text

Item Response Theory Analysis of ADHD Symptoms in Children With and Without ADHD

Assessment ◽

10.1177/1073191115591595 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 23 (6) ◽

pp. 655-671 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

James J. Li ◽

Steven P. Reise ◽

Andrea Chronis-Tuscano ◽

Amori Yee Mikami ◽

Steve S. Lee

Keyword(s):

Item Response Theory ◽

Item Response ◽

Latent Trait ◽

Dimensional Structure ◽

Adhd Symptoms ◽

Response Theory ◽

Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽

Item Response Theory Analysis ◽

Graded Response ◽

Moderate Range

Item response theory (IRT) was separately applied to parent- and teacher-rated symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from a pooled sample of 526 six- to twelve-year-old children with and without ADHD. The dimensional structure ADHD was first examined using confirmatory factor analyses, including the bifactor model. A general ADHD factor and two group factors, representing inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive dimensions, optimally fit the data. Using the graded response model, we estimated discrimination and location parameters and information functions for all 18 symptoms of ADHD. Parent- and teacher-rated symptoms demonstrated adequate discrimination and location values, although these estimates varied substantially. For parent ratings, the test information curve peaked between −2 and +2 SD, suggesting that ADHD symptoms exhibited excellent overall reliability at measuring children in the low to moderate range of the general ADHD factor, but not in the extreme ranges. Similar results emerged for teacher ratings, in which the peak range of measurement precision was from −1.40 to 1.90 SD. Several symptoms were comparatively more informative than others; for example, is often easily distracted (“Distracted”) was the most informative parent- and teacher-rated symptom across the latent trait continuum. Clinical implications for the assessment of ADHD as well as relevant considerations for future revisions to diagnostic criteria are discussed.

Download Full-text

An Item Response Theory Analysis of the General and Academic Scales of the Self-Description Questionnaire II

Journal of Research in Personality ◽

10.1006/jrpe.1995.1010 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 168-188 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Wm.Peter Flannery ◽

Steven P. Reise ◽

Keith F. Widaman

Keyword(s):

Item Response Theory ◽

Item Response ◽

The Self ◽

Response Theory ◽

Theory Analysis ◽

Item Response Theory Analysis

Download Full-text

Assessing Stigma in Multiple Sclerosis

International Journal of MS Care ◽

10.7224/1537-2073.2018-053 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (5) ◽

pp. 195-199 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Javier Ballesteros ◽

María L. Martínez-Ginés ◽

Jose M. García-Domínguez ◽

Lucía Forero ◽

Daniel Prefasi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Item Response Theory ◽

Item Response ◽

Assessment Tool ◽

High Reliability ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Dimensional Structure ◽

Response Theory ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Relapsing Remitting

Abstract Background: The stigma associated with neurologic disorders plays a part in poor health-related quality of life. The eight-item Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness (SSCI-8) is a brief self-assessment tool for measuring perceived level of stigma. The psychometric performance of the SSCI-8 in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) was assessed. Methods: A multicenter, cross-sectional study in adults with relapsing-remitting or primary progressive MS was performed. A nonparametric item response theory procedure, Mokken analysis, was done to preliminarily study the dimensional structure of the SSCI-8. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model was then fit, and the behavior and information covered by the eight items were assessed by parametric item response theory analysis. Results: A total of 201 patients (mean ± SD age, 43.9 ± 10.5 years; 60.2% female; 86.1% with relapsing-remitting MS) were studied. The Mokken analysis found that the SSCI-8 is a unidimensional strong scale (scalability index H = 0.56) with high reliability (Cronbach α = 0.88). The CFA model confirmed the unidimensionality (comparative fit index = 0.975, root mean square error of approximation = 0.077). The information covered by the SSCI-8 items ranges from 3.79 to 13.52, for a total of 66.56. More than half (66%) of the SSCI-8 overall information is conveyed by four items: 1 (“Some people avoided me”), 2 (“I felt left out of things”), 3 (“People avoided looking at me”), and 7 (“People were unkind to me”). Conclusions: The SSCI-8 shows appropriate psychometric characteristics and is, therefore, a useful instrument for assessing stigma in people with MS.

Download Full-text

An Item Response Theory Analysis of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759/a000390 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 35 (2) ◽

pp. 266-279 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Ferdinand Keller ◽

Alexandra N. Langmeyer

Keyword(s):

Item Response Theory ◽

Item Response ◽

Dimensional Structure ◽

General Factor ◽

Data Sets ◽

Theory Approach ◽

Partial Credit ◽

Response Theory ◽

Generalized Partial Credit ◽

Additional Value

Abstract. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) assesses five subscales for measuring child adjustment. In the present study, an item response theory approach was used to analyze the parent version of the SDQ subscales and the total difficulties score (TDS), which is obtained by summing up the scores of the four problem subscales. Analyses are based on two data sets: The German Family Panel “Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics (pairfam, N = 1,078)” and the survey “Growing up in Germany” (Aufwachsen in Deutschland: Alltagswelten; AID:A, N = 1,346). Partial credit and generalized partial credit models were estimated for each subscale and a bifactor model was applied to the TDS. The results showed satisfying psychometric properties in both samples for each of the five subscales, except for the “Hyperactivity/Inattention” subscales which seemed to have a two-dimensional structure. Item discrimination and category threshold parameters were broadly comparable between the samples. According to the bifactor models, there is evidence for multidimensionality in the TDS, but the general factor was strong. Thus, the TDS can be treated as essentially unidimensional, although some subscales may be of additional value.

Download Full-text

A General Bayesian Multidimensional Item Response Theory Model for Small and Large Samples

Educational and Psychological Measurement ◽

10.1177/0013164419891205 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 80 (4) ◽

pp. 665-694

Author(s):

Ken A. Fujimoto ◽

Sabina R. Neugebauer

Keyword(s):

Item Response Theory ◽

Item Response ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Real Data ◽

Theory Model ◽

Dimensional Structure ◽

Small Scale ◽

Response Theory ◽

Large Samples ◽

Irt Models

Although item response theory (IRT) models such as the bifactor, two-tier, and between-item-dimensionality IRT models have been devised to confirm complex dimensional structures in educational and psychological data, they can be challenging to use in practice. The reason is that these models are multidimensional IRT (MIRT) models and thus are highly parameterized, making them only suitable for data provided by large samples. Unfortunately, many educational and psychological studies are conducted on a small scale, leaving the researchers without the necessary MIRT models to confirm the hypothesized structures in their data. To address the lack of modeling options for these researchers, we present a general Bayesian MIRT model based on adaptive informative priors. Simulations demonstrated that our MIRT model could be used to confirm a two-tier structure (with two general and six specific dimensions), a bifactor structure (with one general and six specific dimensions), and a between-item six-dimensional structure in rating scale data representing sample sizes as small as 100. Although our goal was to provide a general MIRT model suitable for smaller samples, the simulations further revealed that our model was applicable to larger samples. We also analyzed real data from 121 individuals to illustrate that the findings of our simulations are relevant to real situations.

Download Full-text