Short Versions of Tests: Best Practices and Potential Pitfalls
This paper synthesizes some prime concerns based on test development practices and principles from the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (AERA, APA,, & NCME, 2014), and by bringing together the perspectives from other authors who have critically evaluated short forms. A series of potential pitfalls are presented in areas such as the over-focus on reliability statistics to drive item selection, item response theory, and the misapplication of classification statistics. Awareness of these pitfalls is relevant to test development professionals and provides guidance for clinical practitioners in evaluating and selecting shortened tests. In general, this paper aims to provide information that will help avoid both the unfair rejection and unmindful acceptance of short scales.
Sitarenios, G. (2022). Short Versions of Tests: Best Practices and Potential Pitfalls. Online. Journal of Pediatric Neuropsychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40817-022-00126-0opens in new window
An Explanatory Mixture IRT Model for Careless and Insufficient Effort Responding in Self-report Measures
Careless and insufficient effort responding (C/IER) on self-report measures results in responses that do not reflect the trait to be measured, thereby posing a major threat to the quality of survey data. Reliable approaches for detecting C/IER aid in increasing the validity of inferences being made from survey data. Previous approaches for detecting C/IER identify C/IER at the aggregate respondent or scale level, and may impair investigations of item characteristics evoking C/IER. An explanatory mixture item response theory model is presented that supports identifying and modelling C/IER at the respondent-by-item level, can detect a wide array of C/IER patterns, and facilitates a deeper understanding of item characteristics associated with its occurrence. The model shows good parameter recovery and can well handle the simultaneous occurrence of multiple types of C/IER patterns in simulated data. The approach is illustrated on a publicly available Big Five inventory data set, and initial supporting validity evidence for the proposed approach is presented.
Ulitzschopens in new window, E., Yildirim-Erbasliopens in new window, S., Gorgunopens in new window, G., & Bulutopens in new window, O. (2022). An explanatory mixture IRT model for careless and insufficient effort responding in self-report measures. Online. British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bmsp.12272opens in new window
Using WhatsApp for focus group discussions: ecological validity, inclusion and deliberation
WhatsApp’s ubiquity in many people’s everyday lives points at new possibilities for conducting online and mobile focus groups. This paper offers new empirical insights from using the method as part of a digital ethnography with young activists in Western Kenya. The presence of WhatsApp in participants’ everyday lives offers a context with high ecological validity. The paper suggests that this opens up new options for designing online focus groups, transcending the traditional categorisation between synchronous and asynchronous interactions and some limitations of both approaches. WhatsApp also offers opportunities for creating more inclusive group discussions.
Colom, A. (2021). Using WhatsApp for focus group discussions: ecological validity, inclusion and deliberation. Online. Qualitative Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794120986074opens in new window
Guidelines for the “Publication Corner” Column
Have you seen a recent publication that you think would be of great interest to Division 5 membership? Please feel free to share suggestions for publications to include in this column. Please send your ideas to The Score Editor, Gill Sitarenios. Please be sure to include full reference details and a short synopsis (2-3 sentences) of the publication. Use “Publication Corner” in the subject line of the email.