TY - JOUR

T1 - Similar or Different? An Item Response Theory Analysis of the Synonyms Test in Adults with and without a History of Institutionalization

AU - Logvinenko, T.I.

AU - Talantseva , O.I.

AU - Volokhova , E.M.

AU - Khalaf, S.

AU - Grigorenko , E.L.

N1 - Logvinenko T.I., Talantseva O.I., Volokhova E.M., Khalaf S., Grigorenko E.L. Similar or different? An Item Response Theory Analysis of the Synonyms Test in Adults with and without a History of Institutionalization. Modelirovanie i analiz dannykh = Modelling and Data Analysis, 2020. Vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 35–63. DOI: 10.17759/mda.2020100102

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - The lack of valid and standardized instruments, directed on an assessment of the language domain in adolescents and adults in Russia postulates the urgent necessity of their development. To fill this gap, the language battery, ARFA-RUS, was created and applied in a large project investigating the long-term consequences of raring in institutional care settings on human development. In the current study, an Item Response Theory (IRT) approach was used to examine the psychometric properties of the Synonyms Subtest of ARFA-RUS as the first step of validation of the battery. IRT results demonstrated the test is reliable for the low-to-moderate levels of the assessed ability; yet, to capture a wider ability range, more difficult items are needed. The ARFA-RUS Synonyms Subtest was less suitable for the post- institutionalized group of adults; in this group, the latent ability estimate explained a lower percentage of variance in comparison to adults raised in biological families. With regard to item-specific analyses, two items demonstrated paradoxical patterns with decreased probability of correct response at increased ability. In addition, one item was eliminated from the final version of the Synonyms Subtest due to its poor item fit and low discrimination value.

AB - The lack of valid and standardized instruments, directed on an assessment of the language domain in adolescents and adults in Russia postulates the urgent necessity of their development. To fill this gap, the language battery, ARFA-RUS, was created and applied in a large project investigating the long-term consequences of raring in institutional care settings on human development. In the current study, an Item Response Theory (IRT) approach was used to examine the psychometric properties of the Synonyms Subtest of ARFA-RUS as the first step of validation of the battery. IRT results demonstrated the test is reliable for the low-to-moderate levels of the assessed ability; yet, to capture a wider ability range, more difficult items are needed. The ARFA-RUS Synonyms Subtest was less suitable for the post- institutionalized group of adults; in this group, the latent ability estimate explained a lower percentage of variance in comparison to adults raised in biological families. With regard to item-specific analyses, two items demonstrated paradoxical patterns with decreased probability of correct response at increased ability. In addition, one item was eliminated from the final version of the Synonyms Subtest due to its poor item fit and low discrimination value.

KW - Item-response theory

KW - psychometrics

KW - differential item functioning

KW - language

KW - synonyms

KW - assessment

KW - ПСИХОМЕТРИКА

KW - ДИФФЕРЕНЦИРОВАННОЕ ФУНКЦИОНИРОВАНИЕ ЗАДАНИЙ

KW - ЯЗЫКОВЫЕ СПОСОБНОСТИ

KW - СИНОНИМЫ

KW - тестирование

UR - https://psyjournals.ru/files/114054/mda_2020_n1_Logvinenko_Talantseva_et_al.pdf

UR - https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=42928949

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/ffc1230a-1af1-3c86-af2d-f7677afe83c4/

U2 - doi: 10.17759/mda.2020100102

DO - doi: 10.17759/mda.2020100102

M3 - Article

VL - 10

SP - 35

EP - 63

JO - Моделирование и анализ данных

JF - Моделирование и анализ данных

SN - 2311-9454

IS - 1

ER -