A unified factor-analytic approach to the detection of item and test bias: Illustration with the effect of providing calculators to students with dyscalculia
An absence of measurement bias against distinct groups is a prerequisite for the use of a given psychological instrument in scientific research or high-stakes assessment. Factor analysis is the framework explicitly adopted for the identification of such bias when the instrument consists of a multi-t...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Université d'Ottawa
2016-01-01
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| Series: | Tutorials in Quantitative Methods for Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.tqmp.org/RegularArticles/vol12-1/p009/p009.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819295109365104640 |
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| author | Lee, M. K. Lee, J. J. Wells, C. S. Sireci, S. G. |
| author_facet | Lee, M. K. Lee, J. J. Wells, C. S. Sireci, S. G. |
| author_sort | Lee, M. K. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An absence of measurement bias against distinct groups is a prerequisite for the use of a given psychological instrument in scientific research or high-stakes assessment. Factor analysis is the framework explicitly adopted for the identification of such bias when the instrument consists of a multi-test battery, whereas item response theory is employed when the focus narrows to a single test composed of discrete items. Item response theory can be treated as a mild nonlinearization of the standard factor model, and thus the essential unity of bias detection at the two levels merits greater recognition. Here we illustrate the benefits of a unified approach with a real-data example, which comes from a statewide test of mathematics achievement where examinees diagnosed with dyscalculia were accommodated with calculators. We found that items that can be solved by explicit arithmetical computation became easier for the accommodated examinees, but the quantitative magnitude of this differential item functioning (measurement bias) was small. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T04:36:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c5d631a41b7c47b0aeac924b83ae3674 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1913-4126 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T04:36:59Z |
| publishDate | 2016-01-01 |
| publisher | Université d'Ottawa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tutorials in Quantitative Methods for Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c5d631a41b7c47b0aeac924b83ae36742022-12-21T17:15:08ZengUniversité d'OttawaTutorials in Quantitative Methods for Psychology1913-41262016-01-0112192910.20982/tqmp.12.1.p009A unified factor-analytic approach to the detection of item and test bias: Illustration with the effect of providing calculators to students with dyscalculiaLee, M. K.0Lee, J. J.1Wells, C. S.2Sireci, S. G.3University of Massachusetts Amherst and Mayo ClinicUniversity of Minnesota Twin CitiesUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstAn absence of measurement bias against distinct groups is a prerequisite for the use of a given psychological instrument in scientific research or high-stakes assessment. Factor analysis is the framework explicitly adopted for the identification of such bias when the instrument consists of a multi-test battery, whereas item response theory is employed when the focus narrows to a single test composed of discrete items. Item response theory can be treated as a mild nonlinearization of the standard factor model, and thus the essential unity of bias detection at the two levels merits greater recognition. Here we illustrate the benefits of a unified approach with a real-data example, which comes from a statewide test of mathematics achievement where examinees diagnosed with dyscalculia were accommodated with calculators. We found that items that can be solved by explicit arithmetical computation became easier for the accommodated examinees, but the quantitative magnitude of this differential item functioning (measurement bias) was small.http://www.tqmp.org/RegularArticles/vol12-1/p009/p009.pdfFactor analysisItem response theoryMeasurement invarianceDifferential item functioningDyscalculia |
| spellingShingle | Lee, M. K. Lee, J. J. Wells, C. S. Sireci, S. G. A unified factor-analytic approach to the detection of item and test bias: Illustration with the effect of providing calculators to students with dyscalculia Tutorials in Quantitative Methods for Psychology Factor analysis Item response theory Measurement invariance Differential item functioning Dyscalculia |
| title | A unified factor-analytic approach to the detection of item and test bias: Illustration with the effect of providing calculators to students with dyscalculia |
| title_full | A unified factor-analytic approach to the detection of item and test bias: Illustration with the effect of providing calculators to students with dyscalculia |
| title_fullStr | A unified factor-analytic approach to the detection of item and test bias: Illustration with the effect of providing calculators to students with dyscalculia |
| title_full_unstemmed | A unified factor-analytic approach to the detection of item and test bias: Illustration with the effect of providing calculators to students with dyscalculia |
| title_short | A unified factor-analytic approach to the detection of item and test bias: Illustration with the effect of providing calculators to students with dyscalculia |
| title_sort | unified factor analytic approach to the detection of item and test bias illustration with the effect of providing calculators to students with dyscalculia |
| topic | Factor analysis Item response theory Measurement invariance Differential item functioning Dyscalculia |
| url | http://www.tqmp.org/RegularArticles/vol12-1/p009/p009.pdf |
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