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Differential item functioning in the cognitive screener used in the Longitudinal Aging Study in India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 February 2019

Ashish Goel Open the ORCID record for Ashish Goel [Opens in a new window]  and
Alden Gross
Ashish Goel*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, University College of Medical Sciences, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
Alden Gross
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Ashish Goel, Department of Medicine, University College of Medical Sciences, University of Delhi, Delhi 110095, India. Phone: +91 9818688403. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

Introduction:

The Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) was initiated to capture data to be comparable to the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) and hence used study instruments from the HRS. However, a rigorous psychometric evaluation before adaptation of cognitive tests may have indicated bias due to diversities across Indian states such as education, ethnicity, and urbanicity. In the present analysis, we evaluated if items show differential item functioning (DIF) by literacy, urbanicity, and education status.

Methods:

We calculated proportions for each item and weighted descriptive statistics of demographic characteristics in LASI. Next, we evaluated item-level measurement differences by testing for DIF using the alignment approach implemented using Mplus software.

Observation:

We found that cognitive items in the LASI interview demonstrate bias by education and literacy, but not urbanicity. Items relating to animal (word) fluency show DIF. The model rates correct identification of the prime minister as the most difficult binary response item whereas the day of the week and numeracy items are rated comparatively easier.

Conclusions:

Our study would facilitate comparison across education, literacy and urbancity to support analyses of differences in cognitive status. This would help future instrument development efforts by recognizing potentially problematic items in certain subgroups.

Keywords

differential item functioningcognitionLASILongitudinal Aging Study in India
Type
Original Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 31 , Issue 9: Issue Theme: Self-Esteem, Resilience, and Emotional Intelligence , September 2019 , pp. 1331 - 1341
Copyright
© International Psychogeriatric Association 2019 

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