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ERIC Number: EJ859162
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0271-1214
EISSN: N/A
Differential Item Functioning Analysis of the "Preschool Language Scale-4" between English-Speaking Hispanic and European American Children from Low-Income Families
Qi, Cathy Huaqing; Marley, Scott C.
Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, v29 n3 p171-180 2009
The study examined whether item bias is present in the "Preschool Language Scale-4" (PLS-4). Participants were 440 children (3-5 years old; 86% English-speaking Hispanic and 14% European American) who were enrolled in Head Start programs. The PLS-4 items were analyzed for differential item functioning (DIF) using logistic regression and a one-parameter item response theory (IRT) model. The logistic regression analysis identified Auditory Comprehension (AC) Item 35 as having non-uniform DIF. Using IRT, AC Item 55 and Expressive Communication (EC) Items 30 and 31 displayed statistical evidence of DIF. AC Item 55 and EC Item 30 were more difficult for Hispanic children than for European American children, whereas the opposite was true for EC Item 31. These findings did not find strong evidence of cultural bias for the PLS-4 against English-speaking Hispanic children from low-income families. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)
SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Preschool Language Scale
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A