Beyond the Spearman-Brown: a structural approach to maximal reliability.
The requirement of parallel parts has long been the cornerstone of classic reliability theory. By recasting reliability in a structural equation framework, items, raters, or judges no longer need to be treated as equivalent entities. Instead, unique reliability estimates can be determined for each and collectively used to assess the maximal reliability of a weighted composite, with the composite reliability submitted to inferential test. Procedures are shown to generalize from single to multifactor applications. Ramifications of a structural approach to reliability determination are probed, and the dilemma posed by possible falsification of the true score hypothesis presented for individual researcher consideration.
Department of Psychology, College of Education and Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695-7801, USA. drewes@unity.ncsu.edu
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Drewes
D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results