TitleItem response theory and clinical measurement
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2009
AuthorsReise, SP, Waller, NG
JournalAnnual Review of Clinical Psychology
Volume5
Edition2008/11/04
Pagination27-48
Publication Languageeng
ISBN Number1548-5951 (Electronic)
Accession Number18976138
Keywords*Psychological Theory, Humans, Mental Disorders/diagnosis/psychology, Psychological Tests, Psychometrics, Quality of Life, Questionnaires
Abstract

In this review, we examine studies that use item response theory (IRT) to explore the psychometric properties of clinical measures. Next, we consider how IRT has been used in clinical research for: scale linking, computerized adaptive testing, and differential item functioning analysis. Finally, we consider the scale properties of IRT trait scores. We conclude that there are notable differences between cognitive and clinical measures that have relevance for IRT modeling. Future research should be directed toward a better understanding of the metric of the latent trait and the psychological processes that lead to individual differences in item response behaviors.