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Bayesian inference for a skew-normal IRT model under the centred parameterization

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  • Azevedo, Caio L.N.
  • Bolfarine, Heleno
  • Andrade, Dalton F.

Abstract

Item response theory (IRT) comprises a set of statistical models which are useful in many fields, especially when there is interest in studying latent variables. These latent variables are directly considered in the Item Response Models (IRM) and they are usually called latent traits. A usual assumption for parameter estimation of the IRM, considering one group of examinees, is to assume that the latent traits are random variables which follow a standard normal distribution. However, many works suggest that this assumption does not apply in many cases. Furthermore, when this assumption does not hold, the parameter estimates tend to be biased and misleading inference can be obtained. Therefore, it is important to model the distribution of the latent traits properly. In this paper we present an alternative latent traits modeling based on the so-called skew-normal distribution; see Genton (2004). We used the centred parameterization, which was proposed by Azzalini (1985). This approach ensures the model identifiability as pointed out by Azevedo et al. (2009b). Also, a Metropolis-Hastings within Gibbs sampling (MHWGS) algorithm was built for parameter estimation by using an augmented data approach. A simulation study was performed in order to assess the parameter recovery in the proposed model and the estimation method, and the effect of the asymmetry level of the latent traits distribution on the parameter estimation. Also, a comparison of our approach with other estimation methods (which consider the assumption of symmetric normality for the latent traits distribution) was considered. The results indicated that our proposed algorithm recovers properly all parameters. Specifically, the greater the asymmetry level, the better the performance of our approach compared with other approaches, mainly in the presence of small sample sizes (number of examinees). Furthermore, we analyzed a real data set which presents indication of asymmetry concerning the latent traits distribution. The results obtained by using our approach confirmed the presence of strong negative asymmetry of the latent traits distribution.

Suggested Citation

  • Azevedo, Caio L.N. & Bolfarine, Heleno & Andrade, Dalton F., 2011. "Bayesian inference for a skew-normal IRT model under the centred parameterization," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 55(1), pages 353-365, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:csdana:v:55:y:2011:i:1:p:353-365
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Padilla, Juan L. & Azevedo, Caio L.N. & Lachos, Victor H., 2018. "Multidimensional multiple group IRT models with skew normal latent trait distributions," Journal of Multivariate Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 250-268.
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    5. M. Teimourian & T. Baghfalaki & M. Ganjali & D. Berridge, 2015. "Joint modeling of mixed skewed continuous and ordinal longitudinal responses: a Bayesian approach," Journal of Applied Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(10), pages 2233-2256, October.
    6. Dylan Molenaar & Conor Dolan & Paul Boeck, 2012. "The Heteroscedastic Graded Response Model with a Skewed Latent Trait: Testing Statistical and Substantive Hypotheses Related to Skewed Item Category Functions," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 77(3), pages 455-478, July.
    7. Azevedo, Caio L.N. & Andrade, Dalton F. & Fox, Jean-Paul, 2012. "A Bayesian generalized multiple group IRT model with model-fit assessment tools," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 56(12), pages 4399-4412.

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