Test Theory and Personality Measurement

It is shown that a minimal assumption should be added to the assumptions of Classical Test Theory (CTT) in order to have positive inter-item correlations, which are regarded as a basis for the aggregation of items. Moreover, it is shown that the assumption of zero correlations between the error score estimates is substantially violated in the population of individuals when the number of items is small. Instead, a negative correlation between error score estimates occurs. The reason for the negative correlation is that the error score estimates for different items of a scale are based on insufficient true score estimates when the number of items is small. A test of the assumption of uncorrelated error score estimates by means of structural equation modeling (SEM) is proposed that takes this effect into account. The SEM-based procedure is demonstrated by means of empirical examples based on the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised.

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The Effect of Alternative Scoring Procedures on the Measurement Properties of a Self-Administered Depression Scale

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759/a000371 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 55-62 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Noboru Iwata ◽

Akizumi Tsutsumi ◽

Takafumi Wakita ◽

Ryuichi Kumagai ◽

Hiroyuki Noguchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Classical Test Theory ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Psychometric Testing ◽

Epidemiologic Studies ◽

Test Theory ◽

Measurement Properties ◽

Irt Model ◽

Response Alternatives ◽

Polytomous Item Response ◽

Θ Point

Abstract. To investigate the effect of response alternatives/scoring procedures on the measurement properties of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) which has the four response alternatives, a polytomous item response theory (IRT) model was applied to the responses of 2,061 workers and university students (1,640 males, 421 females). Test information functions derived from the polytomous IRT analyses on the CES-D data with various scoring procedures indicated that: (1) the CES-D with its standard (0-1-2-3) scoring procedure should be useful for screening to detect subjects with “at high-risk” of depression if the θ point showing the highest information corresponds to the cut-off point, because of its extremely higher information; (2) the CES-D with the 0-1-1-2 scoring procedure could cover wider range of depressive severity, suggesting that this scoring procedure might be useful in cases where more exhaustive discrimination in symptomatology is of interest; and (3) the revised version of CES-D with replacing original positive items into negatively revised items outperformed the original version. These findings have never been demonstrated by the classical test theory analyses, and thus the utility of this kind of psychometric testing should be warranted to further investigation for the standard measures of psychological assessment.

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Using the Rating Scale Model to Examine the Psychometric Properties of the Self-Efficacy Scale for Driver Competence

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759/a000063 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 164-170 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Anna Sundström

Keyword(s):

Psychometric Properties ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Measurement Precision ◽

The Self ◽

Test Theory ◽

Self Report ◽

Scale Model ◽

Validity And Reliability ◽

Two Samples

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of a self-report scale for assessing perceived driver competence, labeled the Self-Efficacy Scale for Driver Competence (SSDC), using item response theory analyses. Two samples of Swedish driving-license examinees (n = 795; n = 714) completed two versions of the SSDC that were parallel in content. Prior work, using classical test theory analyses, has provided support for the validity and reliability of scores from the SSDC. This study investigated the measurement precision, item hierarchy, and differential functioning for males and females of the items in the SSDC as well as how the rating scale functions. The results confirmed the previous findings; that the SSDC demonstrates sound psychometric properties. In addition, the findings showed that measurement precision could be increased by adding items that tap higher self-efficacy levels. Moreover, the rating scale can be improved by reducing the number of categories or by providing each category with a label.

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