Stimulus affectivity of the Danish Word Association Test as measured by response heterogeneity and Rasch scaled number of prolonged reaction times

With the purpose of increasing the knowledge of the psychometric properties of the 70-item Danish Word Association Test, data from three samples of non-patients and psychiatric patients (N = 326) were used to provide two measures of affectivity of the stimulus words, response heterogeneity and reaction time prolongation. It was possible to fit an item response theory one-parameter measurement (Rasch) model to the number of reaction time prolongations (> or =3 seconds) for 54 of the stimulus words. Correlation between Rasch-model item parameters and response heterogeneity was high (r = 0.86), while no correlation was found between either of these measures and frequency of the stimulus words in the Danish language. Both measures of stimulus affectivity supported a theoretically based classification of stimulus words as emotional or neutral. Response heterogeneity measures and Rasch measurement item and person parameters for reaction time prolongations are provided.     

Test Anxiety: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

The present paper examines test anxiety from a cross-cultural perspective with specific reference to the Indian and American cultures. The construct of test anxiety has been examined in many cultures all over the world. In this review, the importance of understanding and incorporating contextual factors in cross-cultural research is emphasized. Moreover, some of the methodological issues related to investigating culture-behavior relationship are discussed. Specifically, the derived-etic approach for conducting cross-cultural research is espoused. Then, research findings from western, cross-cultural, and Indian studies on test anxiety are reviewed. Consistent with the individualistic orientation of the western society, much of the research in the western world has adopted a de-contextualized approach. Inasmuch as many of the cross-cultural and Indian studies on test anxiety have their roots in western research, they have ignored the cultural context as well. To address this void, contextual variables relevant to test anxiety in the Indian setting are examined and hypotheses regarding the nature of test anxiety in Indian children are proposed. Finally, a research agenda is presented to examine these hypotheses using a derived-etic approach.     

Asymptotic identifiability of nonparametric item response models

The identifiability of item response models with nonparametrically specified item characteristic curves is considered. Strict identifiability is achieved, with a fixed latent trait distribution, when only a single set of item characteristic curves can possibly generate the manifest distribution of the item responses. When item characteristic curves belong to a very general class, this property cannot be achieved. However, for assessments with many items, it is shown that all models for the manifest distribution have item characteristic curves that are very near one another and pointwise differences between them converge to zero at all values of the latent trait as the number of items increases. An upper bound for the rate at which this convergence takes place is given. The main result provides theoretical support to the practice of nonparametric item response modeling, by showing that models for long assessments have the property of asymptotic identifiability. The research was partially supported by the National Institute of Health grant R01 CA81068-01.     

Identifiability of nonlinear logistic test models

The linear logistic test model (LLTM) specifies the item parameters as a weighted sum of basic parameters. The LLTM is a special case of a more general nonlinear logistic test model (NLTM) where the weights are partially unknown. This paper is about the identifiability of the NLTM. Sufficient and necessary conditions for global identifiability are presented for a NLTM where the weights are linear functions, while conditions for local identifiability are shown to require a model with less restrictions. It is also discussed how these conditions are checked using an algorithm due to Bekker, Merckens, and Wansbeek (1994). Several illustrations are given.This article was written while the first author was a post doctoral fellow at the university of Twente. He gratefully acknowledges the university's hospitality and the financial support by NWO (project nr. 30002).     

大学生考期应激的特征及原因分析

旨在研究考期应激的表现特征,并探讨其产生的原因和影响因素。以问卷方法测量了261名在校大学生。结果发现47．89％的被试有不同程度的考期应激症状,其中以睡眠症状为最典型的特征。考期应激症状很少受性别、专业、年级、是否担任班干部和个性倾向等因素的影响,且具有较明显的时间特征。诱发考期应激的主要因素有：考生“对考试目的的认知”、“对考试内容的认知”及“生恬和学习环境”等。结论为,考期应激是一种大学生中较普遍且具有多重原因的应激现象。     

Multilevel Modeling with Correlated Effects

When there exist omitted effects, measurement error, and/or simultaneity in multilevel models, explanatory variables may be correlated with random components, and standard estimation methods do not provide consistent estimates of model parameters. This paper introduces estimators that are consistent under such conditions. By employing generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation techniques in multilevel modeling, the authors present a series of estimators along a robust to efficient continuum. This continuum depends on the assumptions that the analyst makes regarding the extent of the correlated effects. It is shown that the GMM approach provides an overarching framework that encompasses well-known estimators such as fixed and random effects estimators and also provides more options. These GMM estimators can be expressed as instrumental variable (IV) estimators which enhances their interpretability. Moreover, by exploiting the hierarchical structure of the data, the current technique does not require additional variables unlike traditional IV methods. Further, statistical tests are developed to compare the different estimators. A simulation study examines the finite sample properties of the estimators and tests and confirms the theoretical order of the estimators with respect to their robustness and efficiency. It further shows that not only are regression coefficients biased, but variance components may be severely underestimated in the presence of correlated effects. Empirical standard errors are employed as they are less sensitive to correlated effects when compared to model-based standard errors. An example using student achievement data shows that GMM estimators can be effectively used in a search for the most efficient among unbiased estimators. This research was supported by the National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation and the National Science Foundation, grant number SES-0436274. We thank the editor, associate editor, and referees for detailed feedback that helped improve the paper.     

项目反应理论框架下的新等值方法——对数对比等值法

项目反应理论有一些以除法形式给出的多级评分模型,若采用Haebara等值法、Stocking_Lord等值法或对称相对熵等值法进行测验等值,都因其对初值有较高要求而可能导致失败。针对这一类模型,我们给出了一种新的等值方法——对数对比等值法。这种方法收敛快,对迭代初值要求低,所得结果精度较高,可以为其他等值方法提供良好的初值。研究表明,对数对比等值法还改进和推广了0-1评分的两参数Logistic模型的Logit变换等值法     

HSK主观考试评分的Rasch实验分析

主观评分中存在的不一致性导致主观评分的信度降低。多面Rasch模型基于项目反应理论,可以应用于评分员效应的识别和消除,从而提高主观评分的信度。该文介绍多面Rasch模型的理论和应用框架,设计了基于该模型的HSK主观考试评分质量控制应用框架,利用HSK作文评分数据进行了实验验证。     

What do Patients Prefer: Informed Consent Models for Genetic Carrier Testing

The recent increased number of conditions for which patients can undergo genetic carrier testing raises the question of how best to obtain pre-test informed consent. Clinical approaches vary from a minimalist model to a model where patients are given detailed information about all conditions to be screened for. Few data exist as to patient preferences, or how information impacts decision-making. Eight high-literacy focus groups were conducted to assess the knowledge and preferences of pregnant patients and their male partners. Most groups indicated that some balance between details and brevity was optimal, recognizing that anxiety can occur when patients are provided with too much information and that the wide range of tests offered during pregnancy often led to confusion. Critical areas for the informed consent process included (1) details about the conditions and risk of being a carrier, (2) logistics of testing, (3) next steps if the test is positive, and (4) prognosis, options and resources if the child were to be affected with a disorder. It will be useful to develop model consent programs and prospectively assess their impact on informed consent and patient satisfaction, both when positive and negative results are received.     

平行分析在探索性因素分析中的应用

平行分析是探索性因素分析中用来确定所保留的凶子个数的一种方法。探索性因素分析中常用的确定因子个数的方法有特征值大于1准则和碎石图,但这两种方法又各有不足。平行分析则为探索性因素分析中所保留因子个数的确定提供了另一种新思路。本文详细介绍了平行分析的步骤、潜在逻辑以及进行平行分析所用的软件,并通过实例来说明其在探索性因素分析中如何应用。