Psychometric Validation of The Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument Using Rasch Analysis In People With Dementia

Background: The Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) is one of the most commonly used cognitive screening tools to assess overall cognitive function in people with dementia. However, the unidimensionliaty of the CASI using Rasch analysis has not been evaluated in people with dementia, limiting its utility in clinical and research settings. Unidimensionality verifies whether all items of a measure reflect a single theoretical construct, which is necessary to determine whether clinicians and researchers can appropriately use the sum scores of the CASI to describe overall cognitive function. This study aimed to examine unidimensionality of the CASI using Rasch analysis and estimate Rasch person reliability in people with dementia. Methods: CASI data of people with dementia was collected from medical records of one general hospital in northern Taiwan. A total of 506 people with dementia were recruited from the Department of Neurology. Unidimensionality was confirmed through two assumptions: (1) the infit and outfit mean square (MnSq) were 0.6-1.4, and (2) residual variance of the first principal component in principal component analysis was ≤ 20%. Rasch person reliability was estimated after undimensionality was supported. Results: One item from the list-generating fluency dimension was misfitted (outfit MnSq=1.42) and was deleted. The unidimensionality of the remaining 45 items (referred to as the CASI-45) was supported with an infit and outfit MnSq (0.85-1.24 and 0.84-1.28, respectively) and low residual variance of the first principal component (12.8%). The Rasch person reliability of the CASI-45 was 0.62. Conclusion: The CASI-45 showed a unidimensional construct and had acceptable Rasch person reliability in people with dementia.

Development of a Social Play Evaluation Tool for Preschool Children

Play has been used as an intervention or evaluation tool for children. Developing a social play evaluation tool can provide clinical criteria for intervening in social play. We aimed to develop a social play evaluation tool for preschool children based on Parten’s stages of development. We tested the construct validity of the scale using confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis, and the known-groups validity by examining the Rasch-calibrated mean score differences across age groups. A total of 40 preliminary items—17 items for associative play and 23 items for cooperative play—were examined. There were significant differences in the scores for associative play between ages 3 and 6 (F = 2.65, p = 0.049), and for cooperative play between ages 3 and 5, 3 and 6, and 4 and 6 (F = 10.44, p < 0.0001). The findings could contribute to subsequent development and validation of occupational therapy programs on play.

Arab and Malay Students’ Attitudes toward Statistics and Their Learning Styles: A Rasch Measurement Approach

Students’ learning of statistics has been studied from a variety of angles, and this study is no different. The main purpose is to compare the Malay and Arab students’ attitudes toward learning statistics and their learning styles in understanding statistics. A survey questionnaire and face-to-face interview techniques were used to elicit information from 150 students based on the cohort. They were asked about how they learn to solve statistical problems based on Kolb’s four learning cycles: feeling, reflective observation, thinking, and doing. Attitude responses were numerically recorded based on a five-point Likert scale, while preference for learning styles was recorded as 1 (Do and Feel) or 0 (Watch and Think). Both attitude and learning style data were combined and subjected to Rasch analysis. Results show that a majority of the Arab and Malay students have moderate to high positive attitude toward learning statistics. Generally, students from both cultures are classified as the “Accommodating” type with a preference for doing and feeling from the experience of doing statistical problems. Arab students are classified as the “Assimilating” type with a preference for thinking, reflecting, and learning from observation, while Malay students are classified as the “Converging” type with a preference for thinking and doing statistical exercises.

Discussion on Scoring Issues in Second Signed or Spoken Language Assessment

This chapter is a joint discussion of key items related to scoring issues related to signed and spoken language assessment that were discussed in Chapters 9.1 and 9.2. One aspect of signed language assessment that has the potential to stimulate new research in spoken second language (L2) assessment is the scoring of nonverbal speaker behaviors. This aspect is rarely represented in the scoring criteria of spoken assessments and in many cases not even available to raters during the scoring process. The authors argue, therefore, for a broadening of the construct of spoken language assessment to also include elements of nonverbal communication in the scoring descriptors. Additionally, the importance of rater training for signed language assessments, application of Rasch analysis to investigate possible reasons of disagreement between raters, and the need to conduct research on rasting scales are discussed.

Psychometric Properties of The 26-Item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26): An Application of Rasch Analysis

Background: The 26-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) is a commonly used tool to assess eating disorder risk. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the EAT-26 with a sample of adults (n=469; age=36.17±17.83 years; female =72.5%; white=66.3%; obese BMI category=58%).Methods: Rasch analysis of the EAT-26 assessed model-data fit, an item-person map to evaluate relative distribution items and persons, item difficulty, and person’s eating disorder (ED) risk level, differential item functioning (DIF), and rating scale functioning. Results: A total of 7 misfit items were removed from the final analysis due to unacceptable Infit and Outfit mean square residual values. The item-person map showed that the items were biased toward participants with moderate to high levels of ED risk and did not cover those who had low risk for having an ED (< -1 logits). The DIF analyses results showed that none of the items functioned differently across sex, but 5 items were flagged based on obesity status. The six-category Likert-type rating scale did not function well indicating a different response format may be needed.Conclusion: Several concerns were identified with the psychometric evaluation of the EAT-26 that may question its utility in assessing ED risk. Because the EAT-26 is a frequently used screening tool for nonclinical populations, future work should focus on developing screening tools that are more effective at assessing ED risk in people with overweight and obesity.

Developing and Validating the Narcissistic Personality Scale (NPS) among Older Thai Adults Using Rasch Analysis

Background: Being older could be stressful, especially among people with narcissistic personality disorders. Nevertheless, the tool is yet to be available among older Thai individuals. The study aimed to develop a tool to detect symptoms of narcissistic personality, and to validate its psychometric properties among older Thai adults. Methods: The Narcissistic Personality Scale (NPS) was developed based on nine domain symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), consisting of 80 items. The original scale was field-tested using Rasch analysis for item reduction, rendering a final 43 items. NPS was further investigated among 296 seniors aged 60 years old. Rasch analysis was used to assess its construct validity. Result: Of 43 items, 17 were further removed as infit or outfit mean square >1.5. The final 26-item NPS met all necessary criteria of unidimensionality and local independence without differential item functioning due to age and sex, and good targeting with subjects. Person and item reliability were 0.88 and 0.95, respectively. No disordered threshold or category was found. Conclusions: The NPS is a promising tool with a proven construct validity based on the Rasch measurement model among Thai seniors. This new questionnaire can be used as outcome measures in clinical practice.