Psychometric evaluation of the PROMIS® Depression Item Bank: an illustration of classical test theory methods
Abstract Background Psychometric theory offers a range of tests that can be used as supportive evidence of both validity and reliability of instruments aimed at measuring patient-reported outcomes (PRO). The aim of this paper is to illustrate psychometric tests within the Classical Test Theory (CTT)...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2019-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41687-019-0127-0 |
| _version_ | 1818333935099183104 |
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| author | Sandra Nolte Cheryl Coon Stacie Hudgens Mathilde G. E. Verdam |
| author_facet | Sandra Nolte Cheryl Coon Stacie Hudgens Mathilde G. E. Verdam |
| author_sort | Sandra Nolte |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Psychometric theory offers a range of tests that can be used as supportive evidence of both validity and reliability of instruments aimed at measuring patient-reported outcomes (PRO). The aim of this paper is to illustrate psychometric tests within the Classical Test Theory (CTT) framework, comprising indices that are frequently applied to assess item- and scale-level psychometric properties of PRO instruments. Methods Using data on the PROMIS Depression Item Bank, typical CTT indices for the assessment of psychometric properties are illustrated, including content validity, item-level data exploration, reliability, and construct validity, particularly confirmatory factor analysis, to test the unidimensionality assumption underlying the item bank. Analyses are carried out on an original item set of 51 depression items, the final (official) PROMIS Depression Item Bank consisting of 28 items, and an 8-item short form. Results The analyses reported provide an informative illustration on how item- and scale-level reliability and validity statistics can be used to assess the psychometric quality of a PRO instrument. The results illustrate how the reported statistics can be used for item selection from an item pool (here: 51 items). Both the (final) 28-item bank and the 8-item short form show good psychometric properties supporting the high quality of individual items and the unidimensionality assumption of the item bank. Conclusions It is our hope that our illustration of CTT methods, in conjunction with two companion papers illustrating modern test theory methods, will help researchers to confidently apply a range of statistical tests to evaluate item- and scale-level psychometric performance of PRO instruments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:59:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9173a1e6212d40fa8b9167a2b8c2f3ca |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2509-8020 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:59:32Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes |
| spelling | doaj.art-9173a1e6212d40fa8b9167a2b8c2f3ca2022-12-21T23:42:48ZengSpringerOpenJournal of Patient-Reported Outcomes2509-80202019-07-013111010.1186/s41687-019-0127-0Psychometric evaluation of the PROMIS® Depression Item Bank: an illustration of classical test theory methodsSandra Nolte0Cheryl Coon1Stacie Hudgens2Mathilde G. E. Verdam3Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Center for Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin BerlinOutcometrix, 2912 NE Plaza DriveClinical Outcomes SolutionsDepartment of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Centre, University of AmsterdamAbstract Background Psychometric theory offers a range of tests that can be used as supportive evidence of both validity and reliability of instruments aimed at measuring patient-reported outcomes (PRO). The aim of this paper is to illustrate psychometric tests within the Classical Test Theory (CTT) framework, comprising indices that are frequently applied to assess item- and scale-level psychometric properties of PRO instruments. Methods Using data on the PROMIS Depression Item Bank, typical CTT indices for the assessment of psychometric properties are illustrated, including content validity, item-level data exploration, reliability, and construct validity, particularly confirmatory factor analysis, to test the unidimensionality assumption underlying the item bank. Analyses are carried out on an original item set of 51 depression items, the final (official) PROMIS Depression Item Bank consisting of 28 items, and an 8-item short form. Results The analyses reported provide an informative illustration on how item- and scale-level reliability and validity statistics can be used to assess the psychometric quality of a PRO instrument. The results illustrate how the reported statistics can be used for item selection from an item pool (here: 51 items). Both the (final) 28-item bank and the 8-item short form show good psychometric properties supporting the high quality of individual items and the unidimensionality assumption of the item bank. Conclusions It is our hope that our illustration of CTT methods, in conjunction with two companion papers illustrating modern test theory methods, will help researchers to confidently apply a range of statistical tests to evaluate item- and scale-level psychometric performance of PRO instruments.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41687-019-0127-0Classical test theoryPatient-reported outcomesValidityReliabilityFactor analysisStructural equation modeling |
| spellingShingle | Sandra Nolte Cheryl Coon Stacie Hudgens Mathilde G. E. Verdam Psychometric evaluation of the PROMIS® Depression Item Bank: an illustration of classical test theory methods Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes Classical test theory Patient-reported outcomes Validity Reliability Factor analysis Structural equation modeling |
| title | Psychometric evaluation of the PROMIS® Depression Item Bank: an illustration of classical test theory methods |
| title_full | Psychometric evaluation of the PROMIS® Depression Item Bank: an illustration of classical test theory methods |
| title_fullStr | Psychometric evaluation of the PROMIS® Depression Item Bank: an illustration of classical test theory methods |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychometric evaluation of the PROMIS® Depression Item Bank: an illustration of classical test theory methods |
| title_short | Psychometric evaluation of the PROMIS® Depression Item Bank: an illustration of classical test theory methods |
| title_sort | psychometric evaluation of the promis r depression item bank an illustration of classical test theory methods |
| topic | Classical test theory Patient-reported outcomes Validity Reliability Factor analysis Structural equation modeling |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41687-019-0127-0 |
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