The Impact of Latent Density Misspecification on Item Response Theory Equating Methods.

ABSTRACT: Item response theory (IRT) observed and true score equating are often conducted assuming that the latent variable is normally distributed. Although this might be a reasonable assumption for many educational and psychological assessments, not all variables can be approximated by a normal distribution. Under the common-item nonequivalent groups design, the current study examined the impact of latent density misspecification on IRT observed and true score equating. Specifically, equating results provided by two separate calibration estimates based on the Stocking-Lord linking method with normal and uniform weights and three concurrent calibration estimates obtained with different characterizations of the latent densities for the old and new groups were compared using both simulated and real d

SUBMITTER: Kim KY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12900660 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature