Item Response Theory Modeling and Categorical Regression Analyses of the Five-Factor Model Rating Form: A Study on Italian Community-Dwelling Adolescent Participants and Adult Participants

Assessment ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 467-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Fossati ◽  
Thomas A. Widiger ◽  
Serena Borroni ◽  
Cesare Maffei ◽  
Antonella Somma
Keyword(s):  
Item Response Theory ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Five Factor Model ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Response Theory ◽  
Italian Translation ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Rating Form

To extend the evidence on the reliability and construct validity of the Five-Factor Model Rating Form (FFMRF) in its self-report version, two independent samples of Italian participants, which were composed of 510 adolescent high school students and 457 community-dwelling adults, respectively, were administered the FFMRF in its Italian translation. Adolescent participants were also administered the Italian translation of the Borderline Personality Features Scale for Children–11 (BPFSC-11), whereas adult participants were administered the Italian translation of the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM). Cronbach α values were consistent with previous findings; in both samples, average interitem r values indicated acceptable internal consistency for all FFMRF scales. A multidimensional graded item response theory model indicated that the majority of FFMRF items had adequate discrimination parameters; information indices supported the reliability of the FFMRF scales. Both categorical (i.e., item-level) and scale-level regression analyses suggested that the FFMRF scores may predict a nonnegligible amount of variance in the BPFSC-11 total score in adolescent participants, and in the TriPM scale scores in adult participants.

Item Response Theory Analysis to Assess Dimensionality of Substance Use Disorder Abuse and Dependence Symptoms

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Levent Kirisci ◽  
Ralph Tarter ◽  
Maureen Reynolds ◽  
Michael Vanyukov
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Item Response Theory ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Substance Use Disorder ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Common Factor ◽  
Latent Trait ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Response Theory ◽  
Men And Women

Background. Item response theory (IRT) based studies conducted on diverse samples showed a single dominant factor for DSM-III-R and DSM-IV substance use disorder (SUD) abuse and dependence symptoms of alcohol, cannabis, sedative, cocaine, stimulants, and opiates use disorders. IRT provides the opportunity, within a person-centered framework, to accurately gauge each person’s severity of disorder that, in turn, informs required intensiveness of treatment. Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine whether the SUD symptoms indicate a unidimensional trait or instead need to be conceptualized and quantified as a multidimensional scale. Methods. The sample was composed of families of adult SUD+ men (n=349), and SUD+ women (n=173), who qualified for DSM-III-R diagnosis of substance use disorder (abuse or dependence) and families of adult men and women who did not qualify for a SUD diagnosis (SUD- men: n=190, SUD- women: n=133). An expanded version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID) was administered to characterize lifetime and current substance use disorders. Item response theory methodology was used to assess the dimensionality of DSM-III-R SUD abuse and dependence symptoms.Results. A bi-factor model provided the optimal representation of the factor structure of SUD symptoms in males and females. SUD symptoms are scalable as indicators of a single common factor, corresponding to general (non-drug-specific, common) liability to addiction, combined with drug-specific liabilities. Conclusions. IRT methodology used to quantify the continuous general liability to addiction (GLA) latent trait in individuals having SUD symptoms was found effective for accurately measuring SUD severity in men and women. This may be helpful for person-centered medicine approaches to effectively address intensity of treatment.

scholarly journals Improving the Measurement of Functional Somatic Symptoms With Item Response Theory

Assessment ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 107319112094715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angélica Acevedo-Mesa ◽  
Jorge Nunes Tendeiro ◽  
Annelieke Roest ◽  
Judith G. M. Rosmalen ◽  
Rei Monden
Keyword(s):  
Item Response Theory ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Somatic Symptoms ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Symptom Checklist ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Response Theory ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Severity Levels ◽  
Different Levels

More than 40 questionnaires have been developed to assess functional somatic symptoms (FSS), but there are several methodological issues regarding the measurement of FSS. We aimed to identify which items of the somatization subscale of the Symptom Checklist–90 (SCL-90) are more informative and discriminative between persons at different levels of severity of FSS. To this end, item response theory was applied to the somatization scale of the SCL-90, collected from a sample of 82,740 adult participants without somatic conditions in the Lifelines Cohort Study. Sensitivity analyses were performed with all the participants who completed the somatization scale. Both analyses showed that Items 11 “feeling weak physically” and 12 “heavy feelings in arms or legs” were the most discriminative and informative to measure severity levels of FSS, regardless of somatic conditions. Clinicians and researchers may pay extra attention to these symptoms to augment the assessment of FSS.

scholarly journals Refinement of the Reflective Function Questionnaire for Youth (RFQY) Scale B Using Item Response Theory

Assessment ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 107319112110039
Author(s):  
Carla Sharp ◽  
Lynne Steinberg ◽  
Veronica McLaren ◽  
Stuart Weir ◽  
Carolyn Ha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Item Response Theory ◽  
Young People ◽  
Construct Validity ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Reflective Function ◽  
Response Theory ◽  
Criterion Variables

We conducted item response theory analyses to refine the Reflective Function Questionnaire for Youth (RFQY) Scale B. Data from a non-clinical sample of young people ( n = 737; aged 18-25 years) was used to derive a shortened version of the RFQY. Results were replicated in a clinical sample of inpatient adolescents ( n = 467; aged 12-17 year), resulting in a five-item measure, thereafter named the RFQY-5. The RFQY-5 item set was then scrutinized for construct validity against the original 23-item RFQY item set in a randomly selected sample of 100 inpatient adolescents not included in the item response theory replication, and 186 healthy adolescents drawn from the community. Results showed that the RFQY-5 performed similarly as the long version in terms of associations with criterion variables, and outperformed the longer version in discriminating between inpatient and community-dwelling adolescents who differed in their levels of borderline traits. The study provides evidence in support of the use of the RFQY-5 in research and clinical settings.

Application of Item Response Theory to the Assessment of Coping in an Environmental Risk Situation: Perspectives and Limits

2019 ◽  
Vol 123 (5) ◽  
pp. 1966-1985
Author(s):  
Colin Lemée
Keyword(s):  
Item Response Theory ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Classical Test Theory ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Test Theory ◽  
Response Theory ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Passive Coping ◽  
Irt Model ◽  
Adult Participants

Classical test theory does not have a clear superiority over the item response theory (IRT) framework, as these approaches are meant to address different kinds of objectives. However, the use of the IRT framework makes it possible to take into account two different parameters in the assessment of coping willingness: the extent to which individuals declare that they use the different strategies and the level of difficulty of these strategies. Also, the IRT framework is strong enough to cope with inconsistent behaviors or missing data and can take into account the social, legal, and cultural influences on the ability to cope of respondents. The data set used in this study was obtained from different areas at risk from coastal flooding located in France. The sample was composed of 315 adult participants (mean age = 47; standard deviation = 15). In the present case, it appeared that just 10 items from an initial pool of 23 were sufficient to assess active and passive coping willingness because these had a good discriminatory power. Also, it appeared that the estimation of participants’ level of coping willingness was linked to their risk perception and anxiety toward the risk. This result has several implications. Firstly, if the IRT calibration is well performed, IRT can be used to compare scores across assessments with different properties and difficulties/locations. Also, the maximum likelihood estimate of participants’ level of active and passive coping willingness using an IRT model makes it possible to study the links between coping willingness and other factors of interest.

Item Response Theory Analysis of the Anxiety and Mood Disorders in Clinic-Referred Children

Assessment ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-246
Author(s):  
Rapson Gomez ◽  
Alasdair Vance
Keyword(s):  
Item Response Theory ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Logistic Model ◽  
Convergent Validity ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
Response Theory ◽  
Medium Effect Size ◽  
Two Parameter

There is evidence that the major anxiety and depressive disorders could reflect a single underlying internalization factor. For a group of 1,031 clinic-referred children, the study examined support for this factor, and used the two-parameter logistic model to examine the item response theory properties of the disorders in this factor. For the set of anxiety and depressive disorders, confirmatory factor analysis supported a one-factor model. The two-parameter logistic model analysis indicated that all the internalizing disorders in this factor were strong discriminators of the internalizing dimension. Also, they measured more of the internalizing dimension and with more precision in the upper half of the trait continuum. There was also support for the convergent validity of the internalizing dimension, in that it had large-to-medium effect size correlations with internalizing scores of other measures. The implications of the findings for clinical practice and clinical classification are discussed.

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