Item-level Response Research Articles

Can People With Higher Versus Lower Scores on Impression Management or Self-Monitoring Be Identified Through Different Traces Under Faking?

According to faking models, personality variables and faking are related. Most prominently, people's tendency to try to make an appropriate impression (impression management; IM) and their tendency to adjust the impression they make (self-monitoring; SM) have been suggested to be associated with faking. Nevertheless, empirical findings connecting these personality variables to faking have been contradictory, partly because different studies have given individuals different tests to fake and different faking directions (to fake low vs. high scores). Importantly, whereas past research has focused on faking by examining test scores, recent advances have suggested that the faking process could be better understood by analyzing individuals' responses at the item level (response pattern). Using machine learning (elastic net and random forest regression), we reanalyzed a data set (N = 260) to investigate whether individuals' faked response patterns on extraversion (features; i.e., input variables) could reveal their IM and SM scores. We found that individuals had similar response patterns when they faked, irrespective of their IM scores (excluding the faking of high scores when random forest regression was used). Elastic net and random forest regression converged in revealing that individuals higher on SM differed from individuals lower on SM in how they faked. Thus, response patterns were able to reveal individuals' SM, but not IM. Feature importance analyses showed that whereas some items were faked differently by individuals with higher versus lower SM scores, others were faked similarly. Our results imply that analyses of response patterns offer valuable new insights into the faking process.

Attention checks and how to use them: Review and practical recommendations

Web surveys dominate contemporary data collection in numerous disciplines within the broadly understood social sciences. However, this mode of data collection comes with additional challenges, particularly related to careless or insufficient effort responding (C/IER), which can distort study results and poses a direct threat to the validity. One of the recommended approaches to address this problem is using attention checks, which are additional tasks or items with objective answers that indicate attentive responding. Despite the potential benefits of attention checks, recent evidence suggests that they are still not sufficiently researched to justify their uncritical use in screening out inattentive participants. This article provides an abridged review of the attention checks literature, offers evidence-based practical recommendations, and highlights crucial gaps in research regarding attention checks. Evidence-based recommendations concerning the type, number, and placement of attention checks in a survey are presented. Generally, including more than one attention check in a survey is advisable, especially for longer surveys. Long instructed manipulation checks should be avoided, instead, covert attention checks, which are difficult for participants to identify, are recommended to reduce negative side effects such as noncompliance. In addition to attention checks, other criteria, such as item-level response time analysis, should be used in combination to identify inattentive participants. It is crucial to carefully analyse all data before making decisions about participant elimination. Ethical considerations related to the use of attention checks are also discussed, recognizing the importance of maintaining participant trust and understanding the potential impact on survey completion rates and data quality. Overall, attention checks hold certain promise as a tool to enhance data quality, but further research and a thoughtful implementation are necessary to maximise their effectiveness.

Screening for adverse childhood experiences in pediatrics: A randomized trial of aggregate-level versus item-level response screening formats.

While there is growing support for screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), rigorous evidence on the efficacy and preference of screening methods is needed. To examine caregiver: (1) rates of disclosure of their child's exposure to ACEs using item-level response (each item can be endorsed) versus aggregate-level response (only total score reported) screening format, (2) associations between family demographic factors and disclosure by screening format, and (3) emotional reaction and experience of screening formats in a diverse, low-income pediatric population. Caregiver participants (n = 367) were randomized to complete the Pediatric ACEs and Related Life Events Screener (PEARLS) tool, in an aggregate-level response vs item-level response format from 2016-2019. Select caregivers (n = 182) participated in debriefing interviews. T-test and chi-square analyses in 2019 compared PEARLS disclosure rates and reactions between the screening modalities. Regression models explored interactions with child characteristics. Thematic analysis of interview notes captured caregiver screening experience. PEARLS disclosure rates were significantly higher in the aggregate-level response compared to the item-level response screening arm (p <0.05). This difference was accentuated for children identified as black and/or male (p <0.05). Caregiver reactions to PEARLS screening were rarely negative in either screening format. Qualitative data demonstrated strong caregiver preference for the item-level response format; additional themes include provider relationship, fear with disclosure, and screening outcome expectations. While caregivers reported a preference for the item-level response format, the aggregate-level response screening format elicited higher disclosures rates particularly for children who are black or ma. Clinical trial registry: NCT04182906.

What is the concordance between parent- and education professional-reported adaptive functioning in autistic children using the VABS-II?

Adaptive functioning of autistic children is traditionally measured through informant-report, often from parents. Behaviour varies across settings though, and context-specific reports should be considered. Limited and inconsistent results show low parent-education professional concordance, but no research has yet explored item level response variation. We investigated Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales-II concordance using 233 lower ability autistic children from the PACT-G sample. Domain and item level agreement was low, but better on objectively measured behaviours. Higher child nonverbal ability improved concordance. Where disagreements occurred, education professionals identified emergent skills more and parents were more likely to rate present/absent. Parents and education professionals view the adaptive abilities of autistic children differently and both should be considered when developing personalised interventions and support.

Semiparametric Factor Analysis for Item-Level Response Time Data.

Item-level response time (RT) data can be conveniently collected from computer-based test/survey delivery platforms and have been demonstrated to bear a close relation to a miscellany of cognitive processes and test-taking behaviors. Individual differences in general processing speed can be inferred from item-level RT data using factor analysis. Conventional linear normal factor models make strong parametric assumptions, which sacrifices modeling flexibility for interpretability, and thus are not ideal for describing complex associations between observed RT and the latent speed. In this paper, we propose a semiparametric factor model with minimal parametric assumptions. Specifically, we adopt a functional analysis of variance representation for the log conditional densities of the manifest variables, in which the main effect and interaction functions are approximated by cubic splines. Penalized maximum likelihood estimation of the spline coefficients can be performed by an Expectation-Maximization algorithm, and the penalty weight can be empirically determined by cross-validation. In a simulation study, we compare the semiparametric model with incorrectly and correctly specified parametric factor models with regard to the recovery of data generating mechanism. A real data example is also presented to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method.

Response tendencies due to item wording using eye-tracking methodology accounting for individual differences and item characteristics.

The discrepancy of the scores on responses to negatively and positively worded items has led to hypotheses of inattention, confusion, difficulty, and differential processing of negatively worded items. The present study, utilizing eye-tracking methodology, aimed to fill an explanatory gap regarding response behavior, providing observations on the item-level response process. It experimentally examined characteristics of the items (wording type, self-relevance) and characteristics of the respondents (neuroticism, verbal abilities, and mood) for their impact on response outcomes. A sample of 87 university students completed a computerized version of a questionnaire with items presented in four alternative wording types: positive, negative, negated positive, and negated negative; half of the items referred to attitudes toward the self and the other half to attitudes toward others. Participants' eye movements during item completion were recorded with the Gazepoint-GP3-HD desk-mounted eye tracker. In linear mixed effects models, wording type and self-relevance were found to relate to response time, time of viewing and revisits to the body of the items and the response options, indicating that there were effects at the stages of comprehension and selection of response. Neuroticism was associated with differential item responses, suggesting a role in later levels of the response process, the retrieval, judgment, and response selection stages. Eye-tracking measures can enhance the examination of response tendencies with regards to item content, item wording, and person characteristics.

Assessing survey response stability: A complementary quality assurance protocol for survey studies in the social sciences

Survey measurement scales are expected to be stable – to generate the same values across two timepoints and under unchanged conditions. In scale development, stability is assessed by calculating a scale's test-retest reliability – a prerequisite to validity. Yet, a systematic review shows that test-retest reliability values are reported for only 23% of newly developed scales and typically assessed only at aggregate level – based on scale-level or subscale level scores. This study (1) demonstrates how (sub)scale-level test-retest reliability indicators can conceal a lack of response stability at item level and (2) proposes a complementary protocol for assessing item-level response stability. Assessing stability at both item- and scale-level ensures that only stable items are included in a scale, which, in turn, increases the reliability and validity of the scale and contributes to the replicability of findings in the social sciences. • Scale-level test-retest reliabilities are an insufficient indicator of reliability. • They conceal a substantial amount of instability of survey responses at item level. • Item-level analysis assists in improving measurement scales. • We propose a new protocol for assessing test-retest reliability.

A pilot examination of the inter-rater reliability of the 18-item Household Food Security Module between cohabiting mothers and fathers.

Food insecurity, defined as the inability to access sufficient food for an active, healthy life, affects 11.1% of the US population and is primarily assessed using the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) 18-item Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM). The HFSSM is a self-report measure presumed to represent all household members, but it is unknown if cohabiting parents report food security differently. This pilot study aimed to determine (i) the inter-rater reliability of the HFSSM; (ii) the direction of any difference between responses to the HFSSM; and (iii) the item-level response similarities and differences among mothers and fathers of young children. Twenty-five pairs of low-income, food-insecure cohabiting parents of 2.5- to 10-year-old children participated in cognitive interviews assessing their level of food security using the USDA's HFSSM and completed related questionnaires. Intraclass correlations were computed to compare the responses of each dyad on the HFSSM overall and by item. Results revealed that overall report of food security was significantly but weakly correlated (r = .40, p = .02) within dyads. The majority of fathers (60%) reported higher food security scores on the HFSSM than their respective female partners. Furthermore, item-level intraclass correlations revealed that some HFSSM questions had poor reliability between cohabiting parents. This research identifies that a potential shortcoming of the HFSSM is the under-reporting of food insecurity by fathers compared with mothers within the household. These findings have implications for the utility of this measure used in national monitoring of the nation's food security.

The Interviewer Contribution to Variability in Response Times in Face-to-Face Interview Surveys

Abstract Survey researchers have consistently found that interviewers make a small but systematic contribution to variability in response times. However, we know little about what the characteristics of interviewers are that lead to this effect. In this study, we address this gap in understanding by linking item-level response times from wave 3 of the UK Household Longitudinal Survey (UKHLS) to data from an independently conducted survey of interviewers. The linked data file contains over three million records and has a complex, hierarchical structure with response latencies nested within respondents and questions, which are themselves nested within interviewers and areas. We propose the use of a cross-classified mixed-effects location scale model to allow for the decomposition of the joint effects on response times of interviewers, areas, questions, and respondents. We evaluate how interviewer demographic characteristics, personality, and attitudes to surveys and to interviewing affect the length of response latencies and present a new method for producing interviewer-specific intra-class correlations of response times. Hence, the study makes both methodological and substantive contributions to the investigation of response times.

Comparison of structural equation modelling, item response theory and Rasch measurement theory-based methods for response shift detection at item level: A simulation study.

When assessing change in patient-reported outcomes, the meaning in patients’ self-evaluations of the target construct is likely to change over time. Therefore, methods evaluating longitudinal measurement non-invariance or response shift at item-level were proposed, based on structural equation modelling or on item response theory. Methods coming from Rasch measurement theory could also be valuable. The lack of evaluation of these approaches prevents determining the best strategy to adopt. A simulation study was performed to compare and evaluate the performance of structural equation modelling, item response theory and Rasch measurement theory approaches for item-level response shift detection. Performances of these three methods in different situations were evaluated with the rate of false detection of response shift (when response shift was not simulated) and the rate of correct response shift detection (when response shift was simulated). The Rasch measurement theory-based method performs better than the structural equation modelling and item response theory-based methods when recalibration was simulated. Consequently, the Rasch measurement theory-based approach should be preferred for studies investigating only recalibration response shift at item-level. For structural equation modelling and item response theory, the low rates of reprioritization detection raise issues on the potential different meaning and interpretation of reprioritization at item-level.

Invariance of the Response Processes Between Gender and Modes in an Assessment of Reading

In this paper, we developed a method to extract item-level response times from log data that are available in computer-based assessments (CBA) and paper-based assessments (PBA) with digital pens. Based on response times that were extracted using only time differences between responses, we used the bivariate generalized linear IRT model framework (B-GLIRT, Molenaar, Tuerlinckx & von der Maas, 2015) to investigate response times as indicators for response processes. A parameterization that includes an interaction between the latent speed factor and the latent ability factor in the cross-relation function was found to fit the data best in CBA and PBA. Data were collected with a within-subject design in a national add-on study to PISA 2012 administering two clusters of PISA 2009 reading units. After investigating the invariance of the measurement models for ability and speed between boys and girls, we found the expected gender effect in reading ability to coincide with a gender effect in speed in CBA. Taking this result as indication for the validity of the time measures extracted from time differences between responses, we analyzed the PBA data and found the same gender effects for ability and speed. Analyzing PBA and CBA data together we identified the ability mode effect as the latent difference between reading measured in CBA and PBA. Similar to the gender effect the mode effect in ability was observed together with a difference in the latent speed between modes. However, while the relationship between speed and ability is identical for boys and girls we found hints for mode differences in the estimated parameters of the cross-relation function used in the B-GLIRT model.

&lt;p&gt;Psychometric evaluation of the hypoparathyroidism symptom diary&lt;/p&gt;

PurposeTo conduct an initial psychometric evaluation of the reliability and validity of the Hypoparathyroidism Symptom Diary (HPT-SD).Patients and methodsData were collected during a cross-sectional, observational study. Participants with self-reported hypoparathyroidism (HPT) completed the HPT-SD, the Functional Assessment in Cancer Therapy–Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog), the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Fatigue (FACIT-Fatigue), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) measures. Item- and scale-level internal consistency reliability, known-groups validity, and construct validity were evaluated. Subscales were identified and preliminary scoring algorithms were developed.ResultsThe study included 52 participants (mean age, 51 years). Overall, the measurement properties of the HPT-SD were very good. Item-level response frequency distributions showed evidence of possible floor effects for four muscle-related symptom items. Inter-item correlations revealed a pattern of relationships among symptom items (r=0.3–0.8) and among impact items (r=0.5–0.7) and provided evidence for two HPT-SD subscales: Symptoms and Impacts. Construct validity correlations supported a priori convergent validity hypotheses (|r|≥0.4) between HPT-SD subscales and the FACT-Cog, FACIT-Fatigue, and HADS. Mean HPT-SD Symptom and Impact scores were in the expected direction and significantly different between subgroups of patients with high and low HPT disease severity.ConclusionResults indicate that the HPT-SD is an appropriate measure of HPT-related symptoms and impacts. Floor effects may be attributed to the observational study design: participants manage symptoms with calcium and active vitamin D supplements prior to an escalation in severity. Future studies should assess the HPT-SD measurement properties using longitudinal study designs.

Clinical Meaning of Promis Pain Interference and Pain Behavior Measures for Children with Sickle Cell Disease

Introduction: The Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) includes tools to assess pain interference and pain behavior for pediatric patients. These domains are especially relevant for children with sickle cell disease who have recurring pain. Though these domains have been shown to be reliable and valid in this patient population, their adoption in practice is significantly limited by lack of clinical interpretation of the scores. The objective of this study was to add clinical meaning to the self-reported pain inference and pain behavior scores for children with sickle cell disease.Methods: We recruited a convenience sample of children with sickle cell disease, 8-17 years of age at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin to complete PROMIS surveys. The pediatric PROMIS measures are scored on a T-score metric with a mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10, where 50 represents the mean of the pediatric sample in which the item response theory parameters for the measures were estimated. The PROMIS measures for pain interference and pain behavior use a Likert response scale and have a one week recall period. The Likert scale responses were characterized into three groups to support clinical interpretation of PROMIS scores. Patients who reported “never” or “almost never” for all items on the pain interference domain were considered to be having “no or minor pain”. Patients who reported “often” or “almost always” for all items were considered to be having “substantial” pain. All other patients were classified as having “mixed” pain interference. Similarly, in the pain behavior domain, patients were categorized as having ‘no or minor’ (response to all items: “had no pain”, “never”, “almost never”), or ‘substantial’ (response to all items: “often” and “almost always”) pain behavior, with remaining considered as having mixed pain behavior. For the domains of pain interference and pain behavior, higher scores mean more impairment. The range of scores for patients with no or minor, mixed and substantial problems on the measures were used to determine the clinical thresholds to identify those with mild, moderate and severe symptoms. The thresholds were validated by comparing the distribution of patients who needed to take pain medications in the past 7 days among the groups of patients with mild, moderate and severe symptoms, using Chi-square tests and adjusting for multiple pairwise comparisons.Results: Our study included 115 eligible children (mean (sd) age = 11.8 (2.8) years), of which 54% were females and 95% were African Americans. For pain interference, there were 36 patients reporting no or minor issues, 16 had substantial issues and the remaining 62 were considered to have mixed pain interference (T-score was missing for one patient). Based on the T-score ranges of these groups, the clinical thresholds of mild and severe pain interference were set to be ≤ 48.3 and ≥ 63.6 respectively. For the domain of pain behavior, 30 children reported having no or minor problems, 6 had substantial problems and the remaining 79 endorsed mixed responses on the items. The range-based thresholds for mild and severe pain behavior were similar at ≤ 41.3 and ≥ 57.3 respectively. Figure 1 shows an example of the distribution of item-level response for one item within the severity groups. There were significant differences in the proportion of patients needing to take pain medications at home in the prior 7 days among those with mild, moderate and severe pain interference (% patients needing pain medications, Mild= 7%; Moderate = 28%; Severe = 44%; p = 0.0095) and pain behavior (% patients needing pain medications, Mild= 6%; Moderate = 32%; Severe = 30%; p = 0.0013). The pairwise comparisons indicate that there were significant differences in proportion of patients needing pain medications between the mild and the moderate/severe groups. However, there were no significant differences in pain medication use between the moderate and severe patients.Conclusions: We show that T-scores ≤ 48.3 and ≤ 41.3 on the respective pain interference and pain behavior domains serve as thresholds for children with no or only mild pain. Whereas children with severe pain have T-scores ≥ 63.6 and ≥ 57.3 on pain interference and pain behavior domains respectively. This facilitates the clinical interpretation of PROMIS pain interference and pain behavior scores for children with sickle cell disease. [Display omitted] DisclosuresPanepinto:National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases: Research Funding; Health Resources and Services Administration: Research Funding.

How to conceptualize, represent, and analyze log\xa0data from technology-based assessments? A generic framework and an application to questionnaire items

Log data from educational assessments attract more and more attention and large-scale assessment programs have started providing log data as scientific use files. Such data generated as a by-product of computer-assisted data collection has been known as paradata in survey research. In this paper, we integrate log data from educational assessments into a taxonomy of paradata. To provide a generic framework for the analysis of log data, finite state machines are suggested. Beyond its computational value, the specific benefit of using finite state machines is achieved by separating platform-specific log events from the definition of indicators by states. Specifically, states represent filtered log data given a theoretical process model, and therefore, encode the information of log files selectively. The approach is empirically illustrated using log data of the context questionnaires of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). We extracted item-level response time components from questionnaire items that were administered as item batteries with multiple questions on one screen and related them to the item responses. Finally, the taxonomy and the finite state machine approach are discussed with respect to the definition of complete log data, the verification of log data and the reproducibility of log data analyses.

Detecting malingering in traumatic brain injury: Combining response time with performance validity test accuracy

Objective: The present study examined the incremental utility of item-level response time (RT) variables on a traditional performance validity test in distinguishing adults with verified TBI from adults coached to feign neurocognitive impairment.Method: Participants were 45 adults with moderate to severe TBI, 45 healthy adults coached to feign neurocognitive impairment (SIM), and 61 healthy adult comparisons providing full effort (HC). All participants completed a computerized version of the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM-C) in the context of a larger test battery. RT variables examined along with TOMM-C accuracy scores included mean RTs (Trial 1, Trial 2, correct and incorrect trials) and RT variability indices.Results: Several RT indices differed significantly across the groups. In general, SIM produced longer, more variable RTs than HC and TBI. Of the RT indices, average RT for Trial 1 and 2 were the best predictors of group membership; however, classification accuracies were greatly influenced by the groups being compared. Average RT for Trial 1 and 2 showed excellent discrimination of SIM and HC. All RT indices were less successful in discriminating SIM and TBI. Average RT for Trial 1 and 2 added incremental predictive value to TOMM-C accuracy in distinguishing SIM from TBI.Conclusion: Findings contribute to a limited body of research examining the incremental utility of combining RT with traditional PVTs in distinguishing feigned and bona fide TBI. Findings support the hypothesis that combining RT with TOMM-C accuracy can improve its diagnostic accuracy. Future research with other groups of clinical interest is recommended.

Methodological issues in measuring subjective well-being and quality-of-life: Applications to assessment of affect in older, chronically and cognitively impaired, ethnically diverse groups using the Feeling Tone Questionnaire.

Quality of life assessment includes measurement of positive affect. Methods artifacts associated with positively and negatively worded items can manifest as negative items loading on a second factor, despite the conceptual view that the items are measuring one underlying latent construct. Negatively worded items may elicit biased responses. Additionally, item-level response bias across ethnically diverse groups may compromise group comparisons. The aim was to illustrate methodological approaches to examining method factors and measurement equivalence in an affect measure with 9 positively and 7 negatively worded items: The Feeling Tone Questionnaire (FTQ). The sample included 4,960 non-Hispanic White, 1,144 non-Hispanic Black, and 517 Hispanic community and institutional residents receiving long-term supportive services. The mean age was 82 (s.d.=11.0); 73% were female. Two thirds were cognitively impaired. Methods effects were assessed using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), and reliability with McDonald's omega and item response theory (IRT) generated estimates. Measurement equivalence was examined using IRT-based Wald tests. Methods effects associated with negatively worded items were observed; these provided little IRT information, and as a composite evidenced lower reliability. Both 13 and 9 item positive affect scales performed well in terms of model fit, reliability, IRT information, and evidenced little differential item functioning of high magnitude or impact. Both CFA and IRT approaches provided complementary methodological information about scale performance. The 9-item affect scale based on the FTQ can be recommended as a brief quality-of-life measure among frail and cognitively impaired individuals in palliative and long-term care settings.

Feasibility of Assessing Parental ACEs in Pediatric Primary Care: Implications for Practice-Based Implementation

To determine the feasibility and provider acceptability of implementing assessments for parental ACEs within the context of an outpatient pediatric clinic, and to compare parental ACE detection rates between an item-level response tool and an aggregate-level response tool. A convenience sample of parents completed one of two assessment tools during their child’s four month well visit. Detection of ACE scores ≥4 was compared between the two tools. Providers conducting the assessments completed a qualitative survey describing their experiences. Detection rates were significantly higher with the use of an aggregate-level reporting tool compared to item-level tool (11.2% versus 8.1%, p = 0.013). Provider feedback on the assessment process was positive; providers reported improved clinic visits without undue burden in terms of time constraints or parental resistance to ACE assessments. Implementing parental ACE assessments is feasible with limited resources in an outpatient setting. Providers and parents appear receptive to the conversations about past trauma, and find value in including this information in their counseling during well visits. Parents appear to be more likely to disclose ACEs when a degree of privacy is given through aggregate-level versus item-level reporting.

Meta-analysis: complex relationships between patient satisfaction, age and item-level response rate

Causality of the relationship between the objective quality outcomes of care and patient satisfaction has been questioned in many studies. Consequently, it is highly important to study potential confounders in order to improve reliability and validity of patient satisfaction surveys and enable comparisons between objective and subjective outcomes. This study aimed to test the effect of item-level response rate on the results of patient satisfaction surveys and its interaction with another potential confounding factor, patient age. The data included 39 surveys with balanced Likert-scale items. The surveys were systematically gathered from PubMed and had been published 2005–2014. The relationship between the item-level patient satisfaction and item-level response rate was almost without exception positive when the overall patient satisfaction was &gt;4.2 on a traditional 1–5 scale and patients were middle-aged or older. The meta-analysis demonstrated that the relationship between item-level patient satisfaction and item-level response rate is situational, and generalisations regarding the size of the correlation should be made with caution. Controlling for item-level response rate and patient age, simultaneously, is necessary to improve validity of patient satisfaction surveys. The present study calls for novel age-specific approaches to deal with missing data.

Review: Meta-analysis: complex relationships between patient satisfaction, age and item-level response rate

Review: Meta-analysis: complex relationships between patient satisfaction, age and item-level response rate

Introduction to special section on response shift at the item level

Methodological developments for detecting response shift have enabled increasingly sophisticated analyses over the past decade. While most response shift research has focused on effects on patient-reported outcome (PRO) subscales, the emergence of item response theory applications to PRO research led to the following questions: Does response shift at the item level have particular importance or significance, and is it worthwhile to address such effects in addition to subscale-level analysis? The International Society of Quality of Life Research (ISOQOL) Response Shift Special Interest Group (SIG) undertook an international collaboration to address these questions, and the resulting special issue is presented in this issue of Quality of Life Research. In this special section, we present five scientific papers that address item-level response shift using three broad methodological approaches. These five papers have been selected through a competitive peer-review process. We first issued a call for papers from the ISOQOL Response Shift SIG and then accepted the top papers. Each paper underwent a peer-review process that required multiple iterations. Additionally, we implemented a survey of SIG members to elicit their input on what item-level response shift means and why it is important. We present the results of this survey briefly below, followed by a short introduction to the five papers included in this special section. This special section can be divided into method-based papers that utilize one of three response shift detection methods: (1) the retrospective pretest (i.e., then-test) [1–4], (2) the Oort Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach [5], and (3) the RespOnse Shift ALgorithm in Item response theory (ROSALI) [6].