MEASUREMENT INVARIANCE: CONCEPT AND IMPLEMENTATION

An empirical evidence for independent samples of a population regarding measurement invariance implies that factor structure of a measurement tool is equal across these samples; in other words, it measures the intended psychological trait within the same structure. In this case, the evidence of construct validity would be strengthened within the frame of the scores obtained from the tool. When measurement invariance is not supported, the researchers should consider the possibility of the different factor designs for each group. Ignoring such a situation brings forward the probability about differentiation of the trait(s) measured by measurement tool for that/those group(s), so it causes to suspect the validity of the scores obtained from the tool. The aim of this study is to examine measurement invariance in the context of the conceptual foundations of multi-group confirmatory factor analysis, and discuss the subject through the results from two hypothetical data set that one supports measurement invariance, but the other does not. As a result of analysis performed in this direction, it is determined that the five-factor design derived from the first data set is equal across the groups in the majors of science, health, and social science. It is also concluded that the three-factor design obtained from the secondary data set is not equal for female and male groups. Besides, the exploratory factor analysis performed for female and male groups separately shows that the three-factor design of the tool is valid for females, but the number of factors was four in males. When the factor design for male group is examined, it is determined that the three items in the second factor separate significantly. That leads to the conclusion that it is crucial to test measurement invariance in studies regarding the determination of the psychometric properties of the tool.

MEASUREMENT INVARIANCE: CONCEPT AND IMPLEMENTATION

An empirical evidence for independent samples of a population regarding measurement invariance implies that factor structure of a measurement tool is equal across these samples; in other words, it measures the intended psychological trait within the same structure. In this case, the evidence of construct validity would be strengthened within the frame of the scores obtained from the tool. When measurement invariance is not supported, the researchers should consider the possibility of the different factor designs for each group. Ignoring such a situation brings forward the probability about differentiation of the trait(s) measured by measurement tool for that/those group(s), so it causes to suspect the validity of the scores obtained from the tool. The aim of this study is to examine measurement invariance in the context of the conceptual foundations of multi-group confirmatory factor analysis, and discuss the subject through the results from two hypothetical data set that one supports measurement invariance, but the other does not. As a result of analysis performed in this direction, it is determined that the five-factor design derived from the first data set is equal across the groups in the majors of science, health, and social science. It is also concluded that the three-factor design obtained from the secondary data set is not equal for female and male groups. Besides, the exploratory factor analysis performed for female and male groups separately shows that the three-factor design of the tool is valid for females, but the number of factors was four in males. When the factor design for male group is examined, it is determined that the three items in the second factor separate significantly. That leads to the conclusion that it is crucial to test measurement invariance in studies regarding the determination of the psychometric properties of the tool

Çocuklar İçin Benlik Algısı Profilinin Uyarlanması ve Farklı Değişkenlere Göre Ölçme Değişmezliğinin Test Edilmesi

Bu araştırmanın amacı Çocuklar İçin Benlik Algısı Profilinin (ÇİBAP) uyarlanarak, farklı değişkenlere göre ölçme değişmezliğinin test edilmesidir. Bu amaçla Harter (1985) tarafından geliştirilen ve orijinal dili İngilizce olan ÇİBAP’ın 5-8. sınıf öğrencileri için uyarlaması yapılmış ve uyarlanan aracın beş faktörlü yapısının cinsiyet, sosyo-ekonomik düzey ve sınıf düzeylerine ait gruplar için eşitliği test edilmiştir. Tarama modelinde yürütülen araştırmada ön uygulama (n=320) ve asıl uygulama (n=1798) çerçevesinde veriler, iki çalışma grubundan elde edilmiştir. ÇİBAP’ın uyarlanması sürecinde, çeviriler tamamlandıktan sonra uzman görüşlerine başvurulmuş, geri çevirisi yapılmış ve aracın dilsel eşdeğerliliğinin sağlanıp sağlanamadığına ilişkin her iki dili de iyi bilen bir gruba uygulama yapılmıştır. Çevirinin dilsel eşdeğerlilik kanıtları sağlandıktan sonra aracın ön uygulaması yapılmıştır. Ön uygulamadan elde edilen veriler analiz edilmiş, psikometrik açıdan sorunu olan maddeler için alan uzmanlarının görüşlerine başvurulmuştur. Alan uzmanlarından ve ön uygulama sürecinde katılımcılardan alınan geribildirimler doğrultusunda, bazı maddeler yeniden gözden geçirilmiş ve böylece asıl form hazırlanmıştır. Ön ve asıl uygulamalardan elde edilen veri setleri üstünden geçerlilik çalışmaları için açımlayıcı ve doğrulayıcı faktör analizleri yapılmış, alt ölçekler arasındaki korelasyonlar ve madde test korelasyonları hesaplanmış; iç tutarlılık katsayılarını belirlemek amacıyla Cronbach alfa değerleri hesaplanmış ve son olarak asıl formun kararlılık katsayısını elde etmek amacıyla test-tekrar test yöntemi uygulanmıştır. ÇİBAP’ın faktör yapısının cinsiyet, SED ve sınıf grupları için eşitliğini belirlemek amacıyla çoklu-grup doğrulayıcı faktör analizleri yapılmıştır. Yapılan analizler sonucunda, aracın beş faktörlü yapısının söz konusu değişkenler açısından eşit olduğu, diğer bir ifadeyle ölçme değişmezliğinin sağlandığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır

Level Determination Exam (Sbs-2008) the Determination of the Validity and Reliability of 7(Th) Grade Mathematics Sub-Test

The aim of this study is to study the validity and reliability of the SBS-2008 7th grade Mathematics sub-test. The psychometric characteristics of the items and tests have been studied with this aim. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis along with structural validity has been studied under the validity study whilst the internal consistency (KR-20) reliability and two halves reliability (test halving) has been evaluated. At the end of the exploratory factor, it has been monitored that the 12th item of the Mathematics sub-test consisting of 18 items, works under a single factor. The consistency benefaction indexes obtained at the end of the confirmatory factor analysis shows that the model-data consistency is high. The KR-20 reliability coefficient has been calculated as. 72 whereas the reliability coefficient related to the first half of the test has been calculated as .52 and reliability coefficient related to the second half has been calculated as .56. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.WoSScopu