title: Differential item functioning in a Spanish translation of the PTSD checklist: detection and evaluation of impact.
abstract: This study demonstrated the application of an innovative item response theory (IRT) based approach to evaluating measurement equivalence, comparing a newly developed Spanish version of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) with the established English version. Basic principles and practical issues faced in the application of IRT methods for instrument evaluation are discussed. Data were derived from a study of the mental health consequences of community violence in both Spanish speakers (n = 102) and English speakers (n = 284). Results of differential item functioning (DIF) analyses revealed that the 2 versions were not fully equivalent on an item-by-item basis in that 6 of the 17 items displayed uniform DIF. No bias was observed, however, at the composite PCL-C scale score, indicating that the 2 language versions can be combined for scale-level analyses.
authors.affiliation: RAND, 1700 Main Street, P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, California 90407-2138, USA. orlando@rand.org
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orlando
authors.forename: Grant N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Marshall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015982:Bias; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D014177:Translations