Anchor Point Selection: Scale Alignment Based on an Inequality Criterion.

ABSTRACT: For detecting differential item functioning (DIF) between two or more groups of test takers in the Rasch model, their item parameters need to be placed on the same scale. Typically this is done by means of choosing a set of so-called anchor items based on statistical tests or heuristics. Here the authors suggest an alternative strategy: By means of an inequality criterion from economics, the Gini Index, the item parameters are shifted to an optimal position where the item parameter estimates of the groups best overlap. Several toy examples, extensive simulation studies, and two empirical application examples are presented to illustrate the properties of the Gini Index as an anchor point selection criterion and compare its properties to those of the criterion used in the alignment approach

SUBMITTER: Strobl C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8041453 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature