Although Item Response Theory (IRT) has been recommended for helping advance interprofessional education (IPE) research, its use remains limited. This may be partly explained by potential misconceptions regarding IRT`s “limitation” to cross-sectional data. The aim of this study is to demonstrate how Item Response Theory (IRT) can be applied effectively in before-and-after designs in IPE research. Specifically, a two-week before-after design with survey methodology using the Extended Professional Identity Scale (EPIS), an interprofessional identity measure, was conducted among n = 146 mixed health-science students. Results indicated that EPIS increased significantly before-after intervention by.74 standardised mean differences, t146 = 7.73, p
Objective The first objective was to assess the psychometric properties of the 92-item Dutch Naming Test (DNT-92), developed to assess word finding difficulties in people with aphasia, using Item Response Theory (IRT). The second objective was to select suitable items for a short version with a discriminative purpose. Method This study has a retrospective, psychometric research design, in which 510 DNT-92-forms of people with aphasia and 192 DNT-forms of healthy participants were used for analyses. An IRT analysis was performed and information on the item- and person parameters was obtained. Item selection for the short version was based on a combination of the discriminative ability of the items and their estimated theta or difficulty. Items with the highest information load, and a difficulty parameter in the range of overlap between the sample of people with aphasia and healthy participants were selected. Results A 2-PL IRT analysis showed best fit to the data. Assumptions of unidimensionality, local independence, and monotonicity were met. Items were removed incrementally, whilst checking sensitivity and specificity of the remaining short form. A selection of six items proved optimal in terms of sensitivity and specificity, with an area under the curve value of 0.85. Differences were found between participants younger than 70 and older. Conclusions The IRT assumptions for the DNT-92 were met, indicating that the test has good psychometric properties. A reduction of items to just six items proved possible, leading to a reliable six item short form with a discriminatory purpose.
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Background: The proportion of frail older adults is increasing and is expected to further increase in the coming years, both globally and in the Dutch population. This poses a great challenge to public health. To determine the prevalence of frailty in a population, a frailty index (FI) is recommended. A FI is an accumulation model encompassing health deficits in multiple domains. Previous research has shown that a FI can be created out of existing health surveys, since it is a flexible instrument, fairly insensitive to the use of specific items. However, this is based on scale development using Classical Test Theory, while few studies have investigated the psychometric properties of their FI using Item Response Theory (IRT). The aim of this study was to create a FI using the Dutch Health Monitor 2016, and to investigate its psychometric properties using Item Response Theory (IRT). Methods: Forty-two deficits were selected in three health domains, i.e., physical, psychological, and social. Psychometric properties were investigated by using an IRT model for polytomous response categories: the Graded Response Model (GRM). Items were evaluated by Cronbach’s Alpha, Factor Analysis, Point Polyserial Correlations, and GRM. Results: The analyses showed that all items demonstrated a positive association with the scale. However, five items did not fit well to the FI scale. From the physical domain these were body mass index and three items about adherence to physical activity guidelines: moderate activity per week; bone and muscle strengthening activities; balance exercises. From the psychological domain this was an item about a sense of control over one’s own future. Conclusions: By using IRT, we showed that while 37 items were adequate and fitted the scale well, five items in our FI were redundant, indicating that it does matter which items are selected for a FI. IRT is a strong method for item selection and thus for creating a more concise Frailty Index. Key messages: Creating a solid and more concise Frailty Index with IRT is promising for epidemiological research and public health. For creating a Frailty Index, item selection needs careful consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Het doel van dit project is het slimmer scoren in de fysiotherapeutische zorg door gebruik te maken van PROMIS Computer Adaptive Testing. De verschuiving van acute naar chronische zorg, de toename van evidence based handelen, het (h)erkennen van het belang van het perspectief van de patiënt en de opkomst van value based health care heeft geleid tot het meten van patiënt gerapporteerde uitkomsten, meestal in de vorm van vragenlijsten (Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs). Fysiotherapeuten blijken het belang van de meetinstrumenten wel te (h)erkennen, maar met name de tijdsinvestering en de veelheid van vragenlijsten te groot vinden om de instrumenten consequent te gebruiken. Fysiotherapeuten vragen dan ook “Help ons met kortere en meer relevante vragenlijsten die klinisch inzetbaar en betekenisvol zijn in de praktijk en elkaar niet overlappen“. Het Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information Systeem (PROMIS) is ontwikkeld om beperkingen van klassieke PROMs op te lossen door gebruik te maken van Item Response Theory en Computer Adaptive Testing en geldt als de nieuwe gouden standaard voor het (slimmer) meten en scoren van PROs in de zorg. Tot dusver blijken de Engelstalige PROMIS instrumenten meer valide, betrouwbaarder en responsiever is dan alle bestaande PROMs. Voor de Nederlandstalige versies zijn de betrouwbaarheid en responsiviteit van voor de fysiotherapie belangrijke PROMIS instrumenten nog niet bekend. Het is ook onbekend of fysiotherapeuten de PROMIS instrumenten beter hanteerbaar vinden dan de traditionele PROMs. Omdat betrouwbaarheid en responsiviteitsscores in belangrijke mate bijdragen aan de hanteerbaarheid en interpretatie van meetinstrumenten moeten deze eigenschappen eerst worden uitgezocht. Wij maken gebruik van 5 werkpakketten: WP1 is een test-hertest studie (betrouwbaarheid) van de PROMIS instrumenten, WP2 is een responsiviteit studie van de PROMIS instrumenten, WP3 is een feasibility studie van de PROMIS instrumenten, WP4 is ontwikkeling van scholing en WP5 is de evaluatie van de scholing.
