Assessing the Differential Functioning of Items and Tests of a Polytomous Employee Attitude Survey

Dimensions of a polytomous employee attitude survey were examined for the presence of differential item functioning (DIF) and differential test functioning (DTF) utilizing Raju, van der Linden, & Fleer's (1995) differential functioning of items and tests (DFIT) framework. Comparisons were made between managers and non-managers on the 'Management' dimension and between medical staff and nurse staff employees on both the 'Management' and 'Quality of Care and Service' dimensions. 2 out of 21 items from the manager/non-manager comparison were found to have significant DIF, supporting the generalizability of Lynch, Barnes-Farell, and Kulikowich (1998). No items from the medical staff/nurse staff comparisons were found to have DIF. The DTF results indicated that in two out of the three comparisons 1 item could be removed to create dimensions free from DTF. Based on the current findings implications and future research are discussed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Department dc:contributor.department

Psychology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1999

Author dc:creator

• Swander, Carl Joseph

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Harvey, Robert J.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Donovan, John J.
• Foti, Roseanne J.

• DFIT
• DIF
• Attitude Assessment
• IRT
• Differential Item Functioning

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-033199-230118

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/9863