title: Differential item functioning of pathological gambling criteria: an examination of gender, race/ethnicity, and age.
abstract: This study tested for the presence of differential item functioning (DIF) in DSM-IV Pathological Gambling Disorder (PGD) criteria based on gender, race/ethnicity and age. Using a nationally representative sample of adults from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), indicating current gambling (n = 10,899), Multiple Indicator-Multiple Cause (MIMIC) models tested for DIF, controlling for income, education, and marital status. Compared to the reference groups (i.e., Male, Caucasian, and ages 25-59 years), women (OR = 0.62; P < .001) and Asian Americans (OR = 0.33; P < .001) were less likely to endorse preoccupation (Criterion 1). Women were more likely to endorse gambling to escape (Criterion 5) (OR = 2.22; P < .001) but young adults (OR = 0.62; P < .05) were less likely to endorse it. African Americans (OR = 2.50; P < .001) and Hispanics were more likely to endorse trying to cut back (Criterion 3) (OR = 2.01; P < .01). African Americans were more likely to endorse the suffering losses (OR = 2.27; P < .01) criterion. Young adults were more likely to endorse chasing losses (Criterion 9) (OR = 1.81; P < .01) while older adults were less likely to endorse this criterion (OR = 0.76; P < .05). Further research is needed to identify factors contributing to DIF, address criteria level bias, and examine differential test functioning.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Maryland-Baltimore, 525 West Redwood Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. psacco@ssw.umaryland.edu
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.forename: Luis R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Renee M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Cunningham-Williams
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: G Jay
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Unick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003625:Data Collection; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011336:Probability; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult