ERIC Number: EJ1185028
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Aug
Pages: 26
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-1644
EISSN: N/A
On Lagrange Multiplier Tests in Multidimensional Item Response Theory: Information Matrices and Model Misspecification
Falk, Carl F.; Monroe, Scott
Educational and Psychological Measurement, v78 n4 p653-678 Aug 2018
Lagrange multiplier (LM) or score tests have seen renewed interest for the purpose of diagnosing misspecification in item response theory (IRT) models. LM tests can also be used to test whether parameters differ from a fixed value. We argue that the utility of LM tests depends on both the method used to compute the test and the degree of misspecification in the initially fitted model. We demonstrate both of these points in the context of a multidimensional IRT framework. Through an extensive Monte Carlo simulation study, we examine the performance of LM tests under varying degrees of model misspecification, model size, and different information matrix approximations. A generalized LM test designed specifically for use under misspecification, which has apparently not been previously studied in an IRT framework, performed the best in our simulations. Finally, we reemphasize caution in using LM tests for model specification searches.
Descriptors: Item Response Theory, Matrices, Models, Statistical Analysis, Computation, Monte Carlo Methods
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Authoring Institution: N/A
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