Abstract
The current research investigates the performance of some conditional and unconditional invariance measures of differential item functioning (DIF), namely: the log-linear model, the logistic regression model, the signed and the unsigned area, the SOS1 and the SOS3. A simulation study is used to evaluate their ability to detect uniform as well as nondirectional nonuniform DIF under several test conditions. The factors that were subject to experimental manipulation in the simulation study are the size of the DIF, the ability distribution of the focal and the reference group, the sample size, the proportion of DIF items and the length of the test.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A. Agresti (1996) An Introduction to Categorical Data Analysis John Wiley & Sons, Inc New York
G. Camilli L. Sheppard (1994) Methods for Identifying Biased Test Items Sage Thousand Oaks
G. Candell F. Drasgow (1988) ArticleTitle‘An iterative procedure for linking metrics and assesing item bias in item response theory’ Applied Psychological Measurement 12 253–260
Z. Feinstein (1995) ArticleTitleEffects of differing item parameters on closed-interval statistics Applied Psychological Measurement 19 131–142
P. Holland D. Thayer (1988) Differential item performance and the Mantel–Haenszel statistic H. Wainer H. Braun (Eds) Test Validity Erlbaum Hillsdale 129–145
S.-H. Kim A. Cohen (1992) ArticleTitleEffects of linking methods on the detection of DIF Applied Psychological Measurement 16 51–66
G. Lautenschlager D. Park (1988) ArticleTitleIRT item bias detection procedures Issues of model misspecification, robustness, and parameter linking Applied Psychological Measurement 12 365–376
R. Linn M. Levine C. Hastings J. Wardrop (1981) ArticleTitleItem bias in a test of reading comprehension Applied Psychological Measurement 5 IssueID2 159–173
F. Lord (1980) Applications of Item Response Theory to Practical Testing Problems Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Hillsdale
G. Mellenbergh (1982) ArticleTitleContingency table models for assessing item bias, Journal of Educational Statistics 7 IssueID2 105–118
G. Mellenbergh (1989) ArticleTitleItem bias and item response theory International journal of educational Research 13 127–143
R. Meredith (1990) ArticleTitleWhen do item response function and Mantel-Haenszel definitions of differential item functioning coincide Journal of Educational Statistics 15 185–197
W. Meredith R. Millsap (1992) ArticleTitleOn the misuse of manifest variables in the detection of measurement bias Psychometrika 57 289–311
M. Miller T. Oshima (1992) ArticleTitleEffect of sample size, number of biased items, and mangnitude of bias on a two-stage item bias estimation method Applied Psychological Measurement 16 IssueID4 381–388
R. Millsap H. Everson (1993) ArticleTitleMethodology review: statistical approaches to assessing measurement bias Applied Psychological Measurement 17 297–334
R. Millsap W. Meredith (1992) ArticleTitleInferential conditions in the statistical detection of measurement bias Applied Psychological Measurement 16 389–402
P. Narayanan H. Swaminathan (1996) ArticleTitleIdentification of items that show nonuniform bias Applied Psychological Measurement 20 IssueID3 257–274
N. Raju (1988) ArticleTitleThe area between two item characteristic curves Psychometrika 53 495–502
N. Raju (1990) ArticleTitleDetermining the significance of estimated signed and unsigned areas between two item response functions Applied Psychological Measurement 14 IssueID2 197–207
H. Rogers H. Swaminathan (1993) ArticleTitleA comparison of logistic regression and Mantel–Haenszel procedures for detecting differential item functioning Applied Psychological Measurement 17 IssueID2 105–116
L. Rudner P. Getson D. Knight (1980) ArticleTitleBiased item detection techniques Journal of Educational Statistics 5 213–223
H. Swamanithan H. Rogers (1990) ArticleTitleDetecting differential item functioning using logistic regression procedures Journal of Educational Measurement 27 IssueID4 361–370
D. Thissen L. Steinberg M. Gerrard (1986) ArticleTitleBeyond group mean differences: the concept of item bias Psychological Bulletin 99 118–128
D. Thissen L. Steinberg H. Wainer (1988) Use of item reponse theory in the study of group differences in trace lines H. Wainer H. Braun (Eds) Test Validity Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Hillsdale 147–169
F. Vijver Particlevan de K. Leung (1997) Methods and Data Analysis for Cross-Cultural Research Sage Thousand Oaks
H. Flier Particlevan de G. Mellenbergh H. Adèr M. Wijn (1984) ArticleTitleAn iterative item bias detection method Journal of Educational Measurement 21 IssueID2 131–145
J. Neuman ParticleVon (1951) ArticleTitleVarious techniques used in connection with random digits Standards Applied Mathematics Series 12 36–38
Welkenhuysen-Gybels, J. and Billiet, J. (2002). A comparison of techniques for detecting cross-cultural inequivalence at the item level, Quality & Quantity 36: (In Press).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Welkenhuysen-Gybels, J. The Performance of Some Observed and Unobserved Conditional Invariance Techniques for the Detection of Differential Item Functioning. Qual Quant 38, 681–702 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-004-5948-z
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-004-5948-z