Applications of polytomous IRT models in applied fields (e.g., health, education, psychology) are abound. However, little is known about the impact of the number of categories and sample size requirements for precise parameter recovery. In a simulation study, we investigated the impact of the number of response categories and required sample size…

Simple matrix sampling planned missing (SMS PD) design, introduce missing data patterns that lead to covariances between variables that are not jointly observed, and create difficulties for analyses other than mean and variance estimations. Based on prior research, we adopted a new multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) approach to handle…

Classification measures and entropy variants can be used as indicators of model fit for logistic regression. These measures rely on a cut-point, "c," to determine predicted group membership. While recommendations exist for determining the location of the cut-point, these methods are primarily anecdotal. The current study used Monte Carlo…

Researchers are often reluctant to rely on classification rates because a model with favorable classification rates but poor separation may not replicate well. In comparison, entropy captures information about borderline cases unlikely to generalize to the population. In logistic regression, the correctness of predicted group membership is known,…

The Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI; Weinstein et al., "Learning and study strategies inventory." H&H Publishing, 1987) is a prominent instrument used in thousands of institutions worldwide as an educational and research tool. Despite its widespread prevalence, there are inconsistencies regarding the underlying latent…

The global COVID-19 health pandemic caused major interruptions to educational assessment systems, partially due to shifts to remote learning environments, entering the post-COVID educational world into one that is more open to heterogeneity in instructional and assessment modes for secondary students. In addition, in 2020, educational inequities…

This study examined the effect of sample size ratio and model misfit on the Type I error rates and power of the Difficulty Parameter Differences procedure using Winsteps. A unidimensional 30-item test with responses from 130,000 examinees was simulated and four independent variables were manipulated: sample size ratio (20/100/250/500/1000); model…

It is common to include multiple dependent variables (DVs) in single-case experimental design (SCED) meta-analyses. However, statistical issues associated with multiple DVs in the multilevel modeling approach (i.e., possible dependency of error, heterogeneous treatment effects, and heterogeneous error structures) have not been fully investigated.…

When selecting a multilevel model to fit to a dataset, it is important to choose both a model that best matches characteristics of the data's structure, but also to include the appropriate fixed and random effects parameters. For example, when researchers analyze clustered data (e.g., students nested within schools), the multilevel model can be…

Our objective was to test the factorial validity of the different versions (TSES-24, TSES-12, and TSES-11) of the Teacher's Sense of Efficacy Scale in Spanish preservice teachers'. The participants were 358 preservice teachers. The confirmatory factor analysis showed inadequate fit indexes for both TSES-24 and TSES-12 but adequate fit indexes for…

The purpose of this article is to develop a statistical model that best explains variability in the number of school days suspended. Number of school days suspended is a count variable that may be zero-inflated and overdispersed relative to a Poisson model. Four models were examined: Poisson, negative binomial, Poisson hurdle, and negative…

Using Monte Carlo simulations, this research examined the performance of four missing data methods in SEM under different multivariate distributional conditions. The effects of four independent variables (sample size, missing proportion, distribution shape, and factor loading magnitude) were investigated on six outcome variables: convergence rate,…

The authors empirically examined whether the validity of a residualized dependent variable after covariance adjustment is comparable to that of the original variable of interest. When variance of a dependent variable is removed as a result of one or more covariates, the residual variance may not reflect the same meaning. Using the pretest-posttest…

Empirical evidence from developed countries suggests that students' commitment to school is fundamental to their academic success. However, in developing countries, validated measures of student commitment to school do not exist. The current study helps fill this research gap by examining the validity and reliability of a commitment-to-school…

This study investigated whether girls' and boys' perceptions of their teacher may explain gender-related difference in academic motivation. One hundred and twenty-nine ninth-grade Israeli students (67 males and 62 females) completed a questionnaire designed to assess their motivation to learn, their affect while studying in school, and their…