Christina R Studts1, Jodi Polaha2, Michiel A van Zyl3. 1. Department of Health, Behavior & Society, University of Kentucky. 2. Department of Family Medicine, East Tennessee State University. 3. Kent School of Social Work, University of Louisville.
Abstract
Objective: Efficient identification and referral to behavioral services are crucial in addressing early-onset disruptive behavior problems. Existing screening instruments for preschoolers are not ideal for pediatric primary care settings serving diverse populations. Eighteen candidate items for a new brief screening instrument were examined to identify those exhibiting measurement bias (i.e., differential item functioning, DIF) by child characteristics. Method: Parents/guardians of preschool-aged children ( N = 900) from four primary care settings completed two full-length behavioral rating scales. Items measuring disruptive behavior problems were tested for DIF by child race, sex, and socioeconomic status using two approaches: item response theory-based likelihood ratio tests and ordinal logistic regression. Results: Of 18 items, eight were identified with statistically significant DIF by at least one method. Conclusions: The bias observed in 8 of 18 items made them undesirable for screening diverse populations of children. These items were excluded from the new brief screening tool.
Objective: Efficient identification and referral to behavioral services are crucial in addressing early-onset disruptive behavior problems. Existing screening instruments for preschoolers are not ideal for pediatric primary care settings serving diverse populations. Eighteen candidate items for a new brief screening instrument were examined to identify those exhibiting measurement bias (i.e., differential item functioning, DIF) by child characteristics. Method: Parents/guardians of preschool-aged children ( N = 900) from four primary care settings completed two full-length behavioral rating scales. Items measuring disruptive behavior problems were tested for DIF by child race, sex, and socioeconomic status using two approaches: item response theory-based likelihood ratio tests and ordinal logistic regression. Results: Of 18 items, eight were identified with statistically significant DIF by at least one method. Conclusions: The bias observed in 8 of 18 items made them undesirable for screening diverse populations of children. These items were excluded from the new brief screening tool.
Authors: Mark Wolraich; Lawrence Brown; Ronald T Brown; George DuPaul; Marian Earls; Heidi M Feldman; Theodore G Ganiats; Beth Kaplanek; Bruce Meyer; James Perrin; Karen Pierce; Michael Reiff; Martin T Stein; Susanna Visser Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2011-10-16 Impact factor: 7.124
Authors: Wendy J Coster; Pengsheng Ni; Mary D Slavin; Pamela A Kisala; Ratna Nandakumar; Mary Jane Mulcahey; David S Tulsky; Alan M Jette Journal: Dev Med Child Neurol Date: 2016-04-21 Impact factor: 5.449