Linking outcomes from peabody picture vocabulary test forms using item response models.
OBJECTIVE
The present work describes how vocabulary ability as assessed by 3 different forms of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT; Dunn & Dunn, 1997) can be placed on a common latent metric through item response theory (IRT) modeling, by which valid comparisons of ability between samples or over time can then be made.


METHODS
Responses from 2,625 cases in a longitudinal study of 697 persons for 459 unique PPVT items (175 items from Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test--Revised [PPVT-R] Form M [Dunn & Dunn, 1981], 201 items from Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test--3 [PPVT-3] Form A [Dunn & Dunn, 1997], and 83 items from PPVT-3 Form B [Dunn & Dunn, 1997]) were analyzed using a 2-parameter logistic IRT model.


RESULTS
The test forms each covered approximately ± 3 SDs of vocabulary ability with high reliability. Some differences between item sets in item difficulty and discrimination were found between the PPVT-3 Forms A and B.


CONCLUSIONS
Comparable estimates of vocabulary ability obtained from different test forms can be created through IRT modeling. The authors have also written a freely available SAS program that uses the obtained item parameters to provide IRT ability estimates given item responses to any of the 3 forms. This scoring resource will allow others with existing PPVT data to benefit from this work as well.
Correspondence to Lesa Hoffman: lhoffman2@unl.edu.
Lesa
L
Hoffman
Jonathan
J
Templin
Mabel L
ML
Rice
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007804:Language Development; D007807:Language Tests / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014825:Vocabulary