Rasch Rating Scale Model Research Articles

Rasch Rating Scale Modeling of the Disability Identity Scale

Rasch Rating Scale Modeling of the Disability Identity Scale

The Client-Clinician Assessment Protocol (C-CAP): Evaluation of its Psychometric Properties for Use with People Aging with Disabilities in Need of Home Modifications

The objective of this study was to evaluate aspects of the validity and reliability of the Client-Clinician Assessment Protocol (C-CAP) Part I. C-CAP data for 103 people aging with disabilities in need of home modification services were analyzed using the Rasch rating scale model. The C-CAP Part I consists of a client self-report of ability in daily life tasks comprising three scales (independence, difficulty, and safety). The analysis demonstrated support for internal scale validity, person response validity, and person separation reliability of the C-CAP Part I, although the results differed among the three scales. The results of this study indicated that the C-CAP Part I has psychometric strengths and limitations. The instrument has the potential to be used in the home environment with people who are aging with disabilities. The C-CAP could complement already existing tools that are used to assess functioning in activities of daily living, especially regarding the focus on the clients' self-report of difficulty and safety in daily life at home and in the community.

Enhanced Interpretation of Instrument Scales Using the Rasch Model

Objectives: To enhance the interpretability of instrument scales in general and the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire in particular. Methods: The Rasch model was applied to the German version of the 39-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire in patients with age-related macular degeneration. Two important sub-scales, near vision and distance vision, were used in this work. The likelihood of performing a task with little or no difficulty was selected as an indicator of a patient’s quality of life. Each possible subscale score was related to the likelihood of performing each task constituting the subscale with little or no difficulty. Results: The Rasch rating scale model was found to fit both subscales based on acceptable infit mean squares, a wide range of item difficulties, and monotonically increasing thresholds. Rasch category characteristic curves for each item in the subscale were back-transformed to the original scale of measurement and placed on a single graph. The graph provides a depiction of the relative difficulty of tasks, the probability of an individual performing a task without difficulty, and the expected mean performance of a group of individuals based on a subscale score. Results could be extended to access the impact of an intervention on the visual quality of life. Conclusions: This approach provides enhanced meaning to a subscale score while permitting the quantification of the improvement in the quality of life resulting from an intervention.

Examining the Original Grasmick Scale

The original Grasmick, Tittle, Bursik, and Arneklev self-control scale is frequently used in self-control theory studies. Examining self-control requires precision in measurement. Using the Rasch rating scale model analysis, the Grasmick et al. scale is evaluated for construct validity in a college student sample. The results show that the 4-point Likert-type format response categories are not suitable for the scale. The distribution of the measures does not align with the distribution of the item measures in the original Grasmick et al. scale. The items do not fit the Rasch model, they do not form a unidimensional trait, and they function differently for males and females. Thus, the original Grasmick et al. scale does not have construct validity. A revised scale is presented that meets the standards of the Rasch model.

Rating scale instruments and measurement

The article examines theoretical issues associated with measurement in the human sciences and ensuring data from rating scale instruments are measures. An argument is made that using raw scores from rating scale instruments for subsequent arithmetic operations and applying linear statistics is less preferable than using measures. These theoretical matters are then illustrated by a report on the application of the Rasch Rating Scale Model in an investigation into elementary school classroom learning culture.

Job Satisfaction among Practicing Pharmacists: A Rasch Analysis

Purpose: through the application of a Rasch rating scale model, the researchers investigated the effect of gender, ethnicity, practice site, income, and age on levels of job satisfaction among practicing pharmacists. Method: The data consist of responses to a survey questionnaire mailed to a random sample of 5,000 registered pharmacists throughout the United States. A total of 820 individuals mailed back their completed form for a response rate of 16.4 percent. Results: Older, higher-wage earning pharmacists working at independent practice sites experience the greatest amount of job satisfaction.Conclusion: The most significant finding from this study is that age, income, and practice site can predict job satisfaction among practicing pharmacists. Additionally, the results provide empirical evidence for the variables inclusion in future models and they demonstrate the usefulness of Rasch techniques.

Assessing the Self Efficacy Development in Doctor of Pharmacy Students Enrolled in a Professional Development Seminar Series

AbstractThe authors assessed the perceived self-efficacy in professional skills and abilities of students enrolled in an elective professional development seminar series over time from four classes of doctor of pharmacy students using their responses to a retrospective 13-question self-efficacy questionnaire along with seven course outcomes questions administered in April 2005. The analysis of questionnaires using the Rasch rating scale model revealed that 44 out of 49 participating students (i.e., 90%) showed statistically significant improvement in self-efficacy after participating in the seminar series. The increase of students' self-efficacy was independent of the number of semesters they had been enrolled. This study also demonstrated a need to include more writing opportunities for the students in future offerings to help improve their writing skills and to provide opportunities to discuss ethical issues related to the practice of pharmacy.

RASCH RATING SCALE MODELING OF DATA FROM THE STANDARDIZED LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION

The Standardized Letter of Recommendation (SLR), a 28-item form, was created by ETS to supplement the qualitative rating of graduate school applicants' nonacademic qualities with a quantitative approach. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the following psychometric properties of the SLR using the Rasch rating-scale model: dimensionality, reliability, item quality, and rating category effectiveness. Principal component and factor analyses were also conducted to examine the dimensionality of the SLR. Results revealed (a) two secondary factors underlay the data, along with a strong higher order factor, (b) item and person separation reliabilities were high, (c) noncognitive items tended to elicit higher endorsements than did cognitive items, and (d) a 5-point Likert scale functioned effectively. The psychometric properties of the SLR support the use of a composite score when reporting SLR scores and the utility of the SLR in higher education and in admissions.

Identifying Differential Item Functioning of Rating Scale Items With the Rasch Model: An Introduction and an Application

This study (a) provided a conceptual introduction to differential item functioning (DIF), (b) introduced the multifaceted Rasch rating scale model (MRSM) and an associated statistical procedure for identifying DIF in rating scale items, and (c) applied this procedure to previously collected data from American coaches who responded to the coaching efficacy scale (CES; Feltz, Chase, Moritz, & Sullivan, 1999). In this study, an item displayed DIF if coaches from different groups were more or less likely to endorse that item once coaches were matched on the efficacy of interest, where Motivation, Game Strategy, Technique, and Character Building efficacies defined coaching efficacy. Coach gender and level coached were selected as the grouping variables. None of the Technique and Character Building items exhibited DIF based on coach gender or level coached. One of the Motivation items and one of the Game Strategy items exhibited DIF based on coach gender. Two of the Motivation items exhibited DIF based on level coached.

VALIDATION OF THE ACTION RESEARCH ARM TEST USING ITEM RESPONSE THEORY IN PATIENTS AFTER STROKE

To validate the unidimensionality of the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) using Mokken analysis and to examine whether scores of the ARAT can be transformed into interval scores using Rasch analysis. A total of 351 patients with stroke were recruited from 5 rehabilitation departments located in 4 regions of Taiwan. The 19-item Action ARAT was administered to all the subjects by a physical therapist. The data were analysed using item response theory by non-parametric Mokken analysis followed by Rasch analysis. The results supported a unidimensional scale of the 19-item ARAT by Mokken analysis, with the scalability coefficient H = 0.95. Except for the item "pinch ball bearing 3rd finger and thumb", the remaining 18 items have a consistently hierarchical order along the upper extremity function's continuum. In contrast, the Rasch analysis, with a stepwise deletion of misfit items, showed that only 4 items ("grasp ball", "grasp block 5 cm(3)", "grasp block 2.5 cm(3)", and "grip tube 1 cm(3)") fit the Rasch rating scale model's expectations. Our findings indicated that the 19-item ARAT constituted a unidimensional construct measuring upper-extremity function in stroke patients. However, the results did not support the premise that the raw sum scores of the ARAT can be transformed into interval Rasch scores. Thus, the raw sum scores of the ARAT can provide information only about order of patients on their upper extremity functional abilities, but not represent each patient's exact functioning.

Research in mathematics education and rasch measurement

A glance through the titles of research reports in current mathematics education journals might cause one to wonder why researchers in mathematics education eschew the very Queen of the sciences in representing the results of their research. Why do qualitative approaches appear to dominate this field? Many could claim that it is because the usual quantitative methods lose the important qualitative aspects of good mathematics education research. But, what if one quantitative research methodology in education incorporated the same genuine scientific measurement principles that mathematicians routinely expect from the metric system of measures and, at the same time, remained sensitive to those significant qualitative aspects of good educational research? What if this technique was an analytical model in which Australians are world leaders? What if applications of the model to research in mathematics education were already showing very promising results – both in Australia and internationally? Rasch measurement is being used increasingly as a research tool by “mainstream” researchers rather than merely by the sophisticated psychometricians involved in large-scale achievement testing. Using the performance interactions between persons and items, it is possible to produce an ordered conjoint measurement scale of both people and items. This allows researchers to examine the behaviour of persons (e.g., students, markers, teachers) in relation to a particular set of items (e.g., test questions, curriculum outcome indicators, problem-solving methods, attitude surveys.) This permits the identification and examination of developmental pathways, such as those inherent in the development of mathematics concepts as well as the developing capacities of the students. In addition, the behaviour of sets of items can be examined in relation to particular sub-groups of persons (e.g., age cohorts of students) in order to identify the extent to which the chosen items measure the core mathematical constructs the researcher was intending to measure. However, the features of the family of Rasch models make them useful tools for other kinds of research in mathematics education. We might reasonably ask: Is this sequence of the mathematics curriculum appropriate for the children who learn it, and not just appropriate in the eyes of the consultants who wrote it? The Rasch rating scale model allows Likert scale attitude data to be thought about in developmental rather than merely descriptive ways. The Rasch partial credit model provides for the

Applying the rasch rating scale model to gain insights into students’ conceptualisation of quality mathematics instruction

Teacher quality has become a national policy concern in the US, especially in mathematics. This study provides insights into the conceptualisation of high quality mathematics teaching from the perspective of approximately 750 students in grades nine through twelve. Results from Rasch analysis yield information about the quality of the Mathematics Quality Survey constructed for this study and the hierarchy of items representing varying levels of quality as perceived by the students. Group interviews with teachers and open-ended responses from students are used to support the findings. This study lays the groundwork for understanding the difference between being qualified and being a quality teacher.

Rasch Calibration of Perceived Weights of Different Sports Games

In many countries, an athlete's performance at sporting competitions is often used as part of the selection criteria for entry into college. These criteria could be biased depending upon the procedures utilized by the authorities in a particular country. The purpose of this study was to calibrate, by using the Rasch rating scale model, the judge-based weights associated with the different quality of games. The participants (N = 202) were asked to weight the quality of the gold medal of 10 sports games using a scale ranging from 1 to 100. In this study the judges' weights on the quality of the games differed among the sports games. The Olympic Games had the highest quality measure (logit = 7.69) whereas the National Sport Games had the lowest quality measure (logit = -3.73). The severity level (i.e., a tendency of a judge to rate higher or lower than other judges) was also different among judges, ranging from -6.73 (less severe) to 3.82 (more severe) logits. The results from a Rasch model analysis make it possible for a college board to identify the relative quality of games and to select from high school athletes more objectively.

Reliability and validity of the VSP-A, a health-related quality of life instrument for ill and healthy adolescents

Purpose To report the preliminary validation results of a generic self-administered measure for adolescents the VSP-A (Vécu et Santé Perçue de l’Adolescent). Methods The validation survey of the 37-item VSP-A involved 1938 adolescents: 1758 adolescents attending school (90.7%) and 180 inpatient youths (9.3%) with medical, surgical, or psychiatric conditions; mean age was 14.8 years (SD = 2.1; range = 10–17) and 1018 (52.5%) were girls. Ten dimensions scores were computed: psychological well-being, body image, physical well-being, vitality, friends, parents, teachers, school performance, medical staff, and a global HRQL index. Construct validity was tested using inter-item correlations, item-dimension correlations, and principal component analysis. The unidimensionality of the scales was studied using Rasch rating scale model and the internal consistency of the scales using Cronbach alpha. Known group comparisons were performed and effect sizes computed to assess the clinical validity and sensitivity of the instrument. Results VSP-A, completed in less than 15 minutes, is consistent (Cronbach alpha = 0.74–0.91). Content and construct validity are good. Factorial validity, item-internal consistency, item-discriminant validity, and inter-dimension correlations support the item grouping in 10 dimensions. The results of the comparison of the VSP-A scores according to external criteria (sociodemographics, health status) show they are in accordance with the literature and previous works. Conclusions These preliminary results support the reliability and validity of the VSP-A as a multidimensional adolescent report of HRQL in healthy and patient populations. The next phase of the research consists of testing the sensitivity to changes of the VSP-A.

Rasch Rating Scale Modeling of the Korean Version of the Beck Depression Inventory

The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is one of the most frequently used instruments in the study of depression both within and outside of the United States. Though developed primarily with European American clinical populations, the BDI has been applied in nonclinical and non-Western samples. To determine whether such a practice is warranted, the authors used Rasch rating scale modeling on a Korean version of the BDI (BDI-K) with Korean university students( N = 279).Results revealed that (a) most BDI-K items represented one common construct, (b) somatic symptoms of depression were more difficult to endorse, and (c) the difficulty level of the BDI-K may not be appropriate for nonclinical Korean university samples.

Psychometric characteristics of the Child Occupational Self Assessment (COSA), Part One: An initial examination of psychometric properties

Pediatric occupational therapists have a unique opportunity to foster self-determination by involving young clients in assessment and intervention planning. Self-assessment is an appropriate way to support client-centered practice and self-determination. This study is the first in a series of two studies that examined the psychometric properties of the Child Occupational Self Assessment (COSA), a self-report tool based on the Model of Human Occupation. The COSA comprises 24 statements, which the child rates in terms of personal competence and importance. The Rasch Rating Scale Model was used to evaluate the measurement properties of the Competence and Values scales that result from these self-ratings. Analysis indicated that the items worked well together to constitute measures of occupational competence and values. However, the instrument was not sufficiently sensitive to discriminate among respondents. Future recommendations are made to expand the rating scales in order to increase client discrimination so that the COSA can also be used as an outcome assessment. The results provide initial evidence that the COSA can be used as meaningful and reliable client directed assessment tool.

Psychometric characteristics of the Child Occupational Self-Assessment (COSA), Part Two: Refining the psychometric properties

Self-assessment is an appropriate way to support client-centered practice and promote personal development in young occupational therapy clients. This study, the second study in a series of two, sought to refine the psychometric properties based on previous analysis of the Child Occupational Self-Assessment (COSA), a self-report tool based on the Model of Human Occupation. The COSA comprises 24 statements, which the child rates in terms of personal competence and importance. The Rasch Rating Scale Model was used to evaluate the measurement properties of the Competence and Values scales that result from these self-ratings. The original three-point rating scale was expanded to four response categories in this study, which resulted in improved reliability and sensitivity. In this second study, the items once again coalesced to form measures of competence and values, and the order of items from less to more competence and value was similar to that in the first study, supporting the internal validity of the COSA scales. The results provide evidence that the COSA can be used as meaningful and reliable client-directed assessment tool as well as an outcome measure.

A Rasch Analysis of Three Measures of Teacher Perception Generated from the School and Staffing Survey

The National Center for Educational Statistics’1999-2000 Schools and Staffing Survey data are used extensively by researchers conducting secondary analysis on a variety of issues including teacher quality, teacher preparation, and the use of technology in the classroom. Researchers frequently combine the data from several related survey questions to create scaled variables, but little is known about the psychometric quality of these created variables. In this article, a Rasch analysis is conducted on three types of teacher perception: perception of influence, perception of students, and school climate. Measures for each type of teacher perception are scaled using a Rasch Rating Scale Model. The quality of these measures for the three scales is then examined. Evaluations focus on six characteristics of each instrument: dimensionality, internal consistency, rating category effectiveness, item quality, item hierarchy, and measure quality. Overall, the three scaled variables exhibit acceptable quality and are appropriate for use in secondary data analysis.

Evaluation of a Seminar Pedagogy as a Means for Developing Positive Advisor/Advisee Relationships

Objectives. The goal of this project was to conceptualize, develop, implement, and evaluate a weekly, academic advisor's seminar. The intent was to maximize the advisor's exposure to his advisees and minimize the time dedicated to do so, while helping advisees begin to develop performance-based abilities. The seminar series involved dissemination of basic information to the doctor of pharmacy students about the College, faculty ranks, and curriculum vitae development, among other topics. Further, it encompassed career-planning exercises, including listening to and interacting with outside speakers, discussing curriculum/educational issues (eg, academic integrity), and conducting reflection exercises. Methods. The evaluation component of this study used a single group posttest design with a retrospective pretest component. The self-assessment instrument was comprised of 10 assessment items and 5 open-ended questions. The Rasch rating scale model, in combination with the Wolfe and Chiu procedure, was used t...

A Rasch scaling validation of a 'core' near-death experience.

For those with true near-death experiences (NDEs), Greyson's (1983, 1990) NDE Scale satisfactorily fits the Rasch rating scale model, thus yielding a unidimensional measure with interval-level scaling properties. With increasing intensity, NDEs reflect peace, joy and harmony, followed by insight and mystical or religious experiences, while the most intense NDEs involve an awareness of things occurring in a different place or time. The semantics of this variable are invariant across True-NDErs' gender, current age, age at time of NDE, and latency and intensity of the NDE, thus identifying NDEs as 'core' experiences whose meaning is unaffected by external variables, regardless of variations in NDEs' intensity. Significant qualitative and quantitative differences were observed between True-NDErs and other respondent groups, mostly revolving around the differential emphasis on paranormal/mystical/religious experiences vs. standard reactions to threat. The findings further suggest that False-Positive respondents reinterpret other profound psychological states as NDEs. Accordingly, the Rasch validation of the typology proposed by Greyson (1983) also provides new insights into previous research, including the possibility of embellishment over time (as indicated by the finding of positive, as well as negative, latency effects) and the potential roles of religious affiliation and religiosity (as indicated by the qualitative differences surrounding paranormal/mystical/religious issues).