Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery: Differential Item Functioning on the High School Form

Abstract

Abstract : This report documents results of a study of differential item functioning (also known as item bias) for the eight nonspeeded subtests of the form of Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery currently used in the Department of Defense Student Testing Program. Twenty-seven different indices were calculated for each of the 200 items on the eight subtests for comparisons of item functioning for White and Black examinees, White and Hispanic examinees, and male and female examinees. Based on theoretical considerations and empirical results from this and previous research, three indices were emphasized. Items that were consistently classified as favoring one group in comparison to another group after controlling for overall performance were reviewed. None of the items on the two quantitative subtests was identified as functioning differently. On the other subtests, some items were identified as favoring one group while other items favored the second group in each of the gender and racial/ethnic group comparisons. Limited generalizations concerning the content characteristics of the identified items were suggested. Keywords: Aptitude testing.