The Effects of Referent Item Parameters Upon DIF Detection Using the Free-Baseline Likelihood Ratio Test
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-2008
Keywords
item response theory, likelihood ratio test, differential item functioning, anchor items, measurement invariance
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1177/0146621608321760
Abstract
The purpose of this simulation study is to investigate the effects of anchor subtest composition on the accuracy of item response theory (IRT) likelihood ratio (LR) differential item functioning (DIF) detection (Thissen, Steinberg, & Wainer, 1988). Here, the IRT LR test was implemented with a free baseline approach wherein a baseline model was formed by freeing all items except a referent or anchor subset and examining the changes in fit with respect to a series of models wherein 1 item at a time was constrained in addition to the referent(s). The results clearly indicated that the composition of the anchor subtest is important for accurate DIF detection. It was found that using a single highly discriminating rather than a low discriminating referent greatly enhanced the power of the procedure. Moreover, in conditions involving small DIF or smaller sample sizes or both, power appeared to improve when a group of highly discriminating referents was used. These findings have implications for applied research involving short scales and small sample sizes.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Applied Psychological Measurement, v. 33, issue 4, p. 251-265
Scholar Commons Citation
Lopez-Rivas, Gabriel E.; Stark, Stephen; and Chernyshenko, Oleksandr S., "The Effects of Referent Item Parameters Upon DIF Detection Using the Free-Baseline Likelihood Ratio Test" (2008). Psychology Faculty Publications. 1957.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/psy_facpub/1957
