Extracting Response Style Bias From Measures of Positive and Negative Affect in Aging Research.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

This study investigated the role of response style biases in the assessment of positive and negative affect in aging research; it addressed whether response styles (a) are associated with age-related changes in cognitive abilities, (b) lead to distorted conclusions about age differences in affect, and (c) reduce the convergent and predictive validity of affect measures in relation to health outcomes.

Method

A multidimensional item response theory model was used to extract response styles from affect ratings provided by respondents to the psychosocial questionnaire (n = 6,295; aged 50-100 years) in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS).

Results

The likelihood of extreme response styles (disproportionate use of "not at all" and "very much" response categories

SUBMITTER: Schneider S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5926987 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature