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A variety of statistical methods have been suggested for detecting differential item functioning (DIF) in the Rasch model. Most of these methods are designed for the comparison of pre-specified focal and reference groups, such as males and females. Latent class approaches, on the other hand, allow the detection of previously unknown groups exhibiting DIF. However, this approach provides no straightforward interpretation of the groups with respect to person characteristics. Here, we propose a new method for DIF detection based on model-based recursive partitioning that can be considered as a compromise between those two extremes. With this approach it is possible to detect groups of subjects exhibiting DIF, which are not pre-specified, but result from combinations of observed covariates. These groups are directly interpretable and can thus help generate hypotheses about the psychological sources of DIF. The statistical background and construction of the new method are introduced by means of an instructive example, and extensive simulation studies are presented to support and illustrate the statistical properties of the method, which is then applied to empirical data from a general knowledge quiz. A software implementation of the method is freely available in the R system for statistical computing. (DIPF/Orig.).

This book reviews the statistical procedures used to detect measurement bias. Measurement bias is examined from a general latent variable perspective so as to accommodate different forms of testing in a variety of contexts including cognitive or clinical variables, attitudes, personality dimensions, or emotional states. Measurement models that underlie psychometric practice are described, including their strengths and limitations. Practical strategies and examples for dealing with bias detection are provided throughout. The book begins with an introduction to the general topic, followed by a review of the measurement models used in psychometric theory. Emphasis is placed on latent variable models, with introductions to classical test theory, factor analysis, and item response theory, and the controversies associated with each, being provided. Measurement invariance and bias in the context of multiple populations is defined in chapter 3 followed by chapter 4 that describes the common factor model for continuous measures in multiple populations and its use in the investigation of factorial invariance. Identification problems in confirmatory factor analysis are examined along with estimation and fit evaluation and an example using WAIS-R data. The factor analysis model for discrete measures in multiple populations with an emphasis on the specification, identification, estimation, and fit evaluation issues is addressed in the next chapter. An MMPI item data example is provided. Chapter 6 reviews both dichotomous and polytomous item response scales emphasizing estimation methods and model fit evaluation. The use of models in item response theory in evaluating invariance across multiple populations is then described, including an example that uses data from a large-scale achievement test. Chapter 8 examines item bias evaluation methods that use observed scores to match individuals and provides an example that applies item response theory to data introduced earlier in the book. The book concludes with the implications of measurement bias for the use of tests in prediction in educational or employment settings. (DIPF/Orig.).

Das Lehrbuch wurde für die Neuauflage komplett überarbeitet, aktualisiert und durch neue Kapitel zu Testnutzung und Anwendungsfeldern erweitert. Es stellt anschaulich und mit vielen Beispielen Grundlagen und Anwendung wissenschaftlich fundierter psychologischer Diagnostik vor. Nach einem Überblick über Theorie, Konstruktion und Beurteilung von Testverfahren folgen differenzierte Hinweise für den Einsatz diagnostischer Verfahren. Als gut verständliche Einführung in die psychologische Diagnostik ist das Buch für Bachelor-Studierende und alle psychologisch Interessierten geeignet. Exkurse und Vertiefungen liefern hilfreiche Informationen für Master-Studierende und praktisch Tätige.

This [...] text provides a state-of the-art introduction to educational and psychological testing and measurement theory that reflects many intellectual developments of the past two decades. The book introduces psychometric theory using a latent variable modeling (LVM) framework and emphasizes interval estimation throughout, so as to better prepare readers for studying more advanced topics later in their careers. Featuring numerous examples, it presents an applied approach to conducting testing and measurement in the behavioral, social, and educational sciences. (DIPF/Verlag).

Test accommodations are often given to students with disabilities as one means of removing construct-irrelevant barriers to proper measurement of their knowledge, skills, and abilities. However, the practice is controversial. This article reviews numerous studies that focused on the effects of accommodations on test performance. Consistent conclusions were not found across studies because of the wide variety of accommodations, the various ways in which they were implemented, and the heterogeneity of students to whom they were given. But two consistent findings emerged: Extended time tended to improve the performance of all students, although students with disabilities tended to exhibit relatively greater score gains; and oral accommodations on math tests were associated with increased test performance for some students with disabilities.

In view of ICD-11 revision, we evaluate whether the 18 DSM-IV diagnostic items retained by DSM-5 could be further improved (i) in predicting ADHD ‘caseness’ and ‘impairment’ and (ii) discriminating ADHD without CD (ADHD − CD) cases from ADHD with CD (ADHD + CD) cases. In a multi-centre study sample consisting of 1497 ADHD probands and 291 unaffected subjects, 18 diagnostic items were examined for redundancy; then each item was evaluated for association with caseness, impairment and CD status using Classical Test Theory, Item-Response Theory and logistic regression methods. First, all 18 DSM-IV items contributed significantly and independently to the clinical diagnosis of ADHD. Second, not all the DSM-IV items carried equal weighting. “Often loses things”, “forgetfulness” and “difficulty sustaining attention” mark severity for Inattentiveness (IA) items and “often unduly noisy”, “exhibits a persistent pattern of restlessness”, “leaves seat in class” and “often blurts out answers” for Hyperactivity/Impulsivity (HI) items. “Easily distracted”, “inattentive to careless mistakes”, “often interrupts” and “often fidgets” are associated with milder presentations. In the IA domain, “distracted” yields most information in the low-severity range of the latent trait, “careless” in the mid-severity range and “loses” in the high-severity range. In the HI domains, “interrupts” yields most information in the low-severity range and “motor” in the high-severity range. Third, all 18 items predicted impairment. Fourth, specific ADHD items are associated with ADHD + CD status. The DSM-IV diagnostic items were valid and not redundant; however, some carried more weight than others. All items were associated with impairment.

A questionnaire for studying teacher-student interaction in Albanian contexts was developed with extensive coverage in the field of educational psychology. The purpose was to adapt and develop an Albanian version of the widely used tool, the Questionnaire on Teacher-Student Interaction. The teacher-student relationship has been found to be very significant in many studies. Students’ academic achievements, emotional and social development, classroom group dynamics, and school dropouts are just some of the issues to be influenced by the nature of the established teacher-student relationship. To better measure students’ perceptions of teachers, clinical scientific data on personality interactions have been adapted and transferred to the contexts of education. With a sample of 300 subjects, the Questionnaire on Teacher-Student Interaction underwent necessary procedures and statistical analyses. Consequently, the original American version of 64 items resulted in 54 items in the Albanian version. Results confirm the reliability and validity of the questionnaire in the Albanian language and reconfirm its general usage for diverse cultures and contexts. Finally, through this study, the dimensions of teacher-student interactions were also measured and documented in the Kosovo context. (DIPF/Orig.)

The Culture Fair Intelligence Test CFT 1-R [...] is one of the most used tests in Germany when diagnosing learning disabilities (LD). The test is constructed according to the classical test theory and provides age specific norms for students with LD in special schools. In [this] study, [the authors] analyzed the test results of 138 students in special schools and 166 students with LD in inclusive settings in order to test the measurement invariance between students with LD, who are educated in these two different educational settings. Data were analyzed within an IRT framework using a non-iterative approach for (item) parameter recovery. This approach parallels with the principle of limited information estimation, which allows for IRT analyses based on small datasets. Analyses for Differential Item Functioning (DIF) as well as a test for global and local model violations with regard to both subgroups were conducted. The results confirmed the assumption of measurement invariance across inclusive and exclusive educational settings for students with LD. (Orig.).

Das Nationale Bildungspanel (NEPS) als eine Large-Scale-Studie in deren Rahmen ein längsschnittliches Multi-Kohorten-Sequenz-Design zur Erforschung von Bildungsverläufen in Deutschland realisiert wird, bezieht im Kontext eines Oversamplings auch Schülerinnen und Schüler mit sonderpädagogischem Förderbedarf mit in ihr Erhebungsdesign ein. Der Fokus liegt dabei zunächst auf der größten Untergruppe von Schülerinnen und Schülern mit sonderpädagogischem Förderbedarf, nämlich Personen mit Förderbedarf im Bereich Lernen. Durch die Befragungen von Eltern, Lehrern und Schulleitern können deren Bildungswege unter Berücksichtigung relevanter Kontextbedingungen - erstmalig - anhand einer größeren Stichprobe nachgezeichnet und analysiert werden. Eine besondere Herausforderung stellt allerdings die Testung und Befragung der Probanden mit besonderem Förderbedarf im Bereich Lernen selbst dar. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird ausgehend von einer kurzen Diskussion der Stichprobendefinition ein fokussierter Überblick über Forschungsbefunde gegeben, welche für die Berücksichtigung von Probanden mit dem Förderschwerpunkt Lernen in Large-Scale-Studien besonders relevant sind. Auf dieser Basis werden die Herausforderungen erörtert, die der Einbezug von diesen Schülerinnen und Schülern vor allem mit Blick auf die standardisierte, reliable und valide Messung von bildungsbezogenen Kompetenzen darstellt. Es wird anschließend das Design von Machbarkeitsstudien innerhalb des NEPS skizziert. Diese Studien prüfen gezielt die strukturelle Vergleichbarkeit von Kompetenztestungen an Förderschulen mit jenen an Regelschulen sowie die Notwendigkeit und die Wirkungen von Adaptationen bei den Testungen mit Blick auf die Validität und Vergleichbarkeit von Testergebnissen bei Kindern mit und ohne sonderpädagogischen Förderbedarf im Bereich Lernen. (DIPF/Orig.). The National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) as a newly set up large-scale assessment study in Germany has accepted the challenge of including students with special educational needs (SEN) into its conceptual design. Particularly, students with SEN in the area of learning (SEN-L) are oversampled within the NEPS. Their educational biographies and relevant context factors will be assessed longitudinally based on interviews and questionnaires given to their parents, teachers, and school principals. However, obtaining data (test data, questionnaires) from the target subjects themselves is by no means a simple, straightforward endeavor but requires careful research strategies. In this article we will briefly discuss problems of specifying the target population of students with SEN-L and present a focused review of research literature relevant to the inclusion of students with SEN-L into large-scale assessments. Specifically, we will focus on challenges relating to the standardized, reliable, and valid testing of competencies of students with SEN-L within large-scale assessments. Additionally, the article outlines the basic design of feasibility studies within the NEPS to test for the structural comparability of competence assessments in special schools with those in regular schools. These studies will further explore the necessity of test accommodations for students with SEN-L and the impact of those accommodations on the validity and comparability of test scores of students with and without SEN-L. (DIPF/Orig.).

International large-scale assessments are facing several challenges: it is expected that they deliver reliable and comparable information on different levels of educational systems as well as documenting the situation of educational systems every few years as trend information over time. This means that the instruments used to gather the information need to be adapted to actual situations in each cycle of the study as well as focusing on information that is sufficiently important for trend observations over the different cycles. In order to gather actual information as well as assessing reliable and valid information over time, this involves walking on a tightrope. The challenge here is to predict what is currently important and what will also be relevant in the future. (DIPF/Orig.).