Differential Item Functioning (DIF) in composite health measurement scale: Recommendations for characterizing DIF with meaningful consequences within the Rasch model framework.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The aims were to review practices concerning Differential Item Functioning (DIF) detection in composite measurement scales, particularly those used in health research, and to provide guidance on how to proceed if statistically significant DIF is detected.

Methods

This work specifically addressed the Rasch model which is the subject of growing interest in the field of health owing to its particularly advantageous properties. There were three steps: 1) Literature review to describe current practices; 2) Simulation study to determine under which conditions encountered in health research studies can erroneous conclusions be drawn from group comparisons when a scale is affected by DIF but which is not considered; 3) Based on steps 1 and 2, formulation of recommendations

SUBMITTER: Rouquette A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6456214 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature