Abstract
Objective The objective of this study is to determine whether differential item functioning (DIF) due to cognitive status impacted three depressive symptoms measures commonly used with older adults. Methods Differential item functioning in depressive symptoms was assessed among participants (N=3558) taking part in four longitudinal studies of cognitive aging, using the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Participants were grouped by cognitive status using a general cognitive performance score derived from each study's neuropsychological battery and linked to a national average using a population-based survey representative of the US population. The Clinical Dementia Rating score was used as an alternate grouping variable in three of the studies. Results Although statistically significant DIF based on cognitive status was found for some depressive symptom items (e.g., items related to memory complaints, appetite loss, lack of energy, and mood), the effect of item bias on the total score for each scale was negligible. Conclusions The depressive symptoms scales in these four studies measured depression in the same way, regardless of cognitive status. This may reduce concerns about using these depression measures in cognitive aging research, as relationships between depression and cognitive decline are unlikely to have been due to item bias, at least in the ways that were measured in the datasets we considered.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 911-918 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 1 2015 |
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Keywords
- cognitive impairment
- depressive symptoms
- differential item function
- item bias
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
- Psychiatry and Mental health
Cite this
Differential item functioning due to cognitive status does not impact depressive symptom measures in four heterogeneous samples of older adults. / Fieo, Robert; Mukherjee, Shubhabrata; Dmitrieva, Natalia O.; Fyffe, Denise C.; Gross, Alden L.; Sanders, Elizabeth R.; Romero, Heather R.; Potter, Guy G.; Manly, Jennifer J.; Mungas, Dan M; Gibbons, Laura E.
In: International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, Vol. 30, No. 9, 01.09.2015, p. 911-918.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Differential item functioning due to cognitive status does not impact depressive symptom measures in four heterogeneous samples of older adults
AU - Fieo, Robert
AU - Mukherjee, Shubhabrata
AU - Dmitrieva, Natalia O.
AU - Fyffe, Denise C.
AU - Gross, Alden L.
AU - Sanders, Elizabeth R.
AU - Romero, Heather R.
AU - Potter, Guy G.
AU - Manly, Jennifer J.
AU - Mungas, Dan M
AU - Gibbons, Laura E.
PY - 2015/9/1
Y1 - 2015/9/1
N2 - Objective The objective of this study is to determine whether differential item functioning (DIF) due to cognitive status impacted three depressive symptoms measures commonly used with older adults. Methods Differential item functioning in depressive symptoms was assessed among participants (N=3558) taking part in four longitudinal studies of cognitive aging, using the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Participants were grouped by cognitive status using a general cognitive performance score derived from each study's neuropsychological battery and linked to a national average using a population-based survey representative of the US population. The Clinical Dementia Rating score was used as an alternate grouping variable in three of the studies. Results Although statistically significant DIF based on cognitive status was found for some depressive symptom items (e.g., items related to memory complaints, appetite loss, lack of energy, and mood), the effect of item bias on the total score for each scale was negligible. Conclusions The depressive symptoms scales in these four studies measured depression in the same way, regardless of cognitive status. This may reduce concerns about using these depression measures in cognitive aging research, as relationships between depression and cognitive decline are unlikely to have been due to item bias, at least in the ways that were measured in the datasets we considered.
AB - Objective The objective of this study is to determine whether differential item functioning (DIF) due to cognitive status impacted three depressive symptoms measures commonly used with older adults. Methods Differential item functioning in depressive symptoms was assessed among participants (N=3558) taking part in four longitudinal studies of cognitive aging, using the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Participants were grouped by cognitive status using a general cognitive performance score derived from each study's neuropsychological battery and linked to a national average using a population-based survey representative of the US population. The Clinical Dementia Rating score was used as an alternate grouping variable in three of the studies. Results Although statistically significant DIF based on cognitive status was found for some depressive symptom items (e.g., items related to memory complaints, appetite loss, lack of energy, and mood), the effect of item bias on the total score for each scale was negligible. Conclusions The depressive symptoms scales in these four studies measured depression in the same way, regardless of cognitive status. This may reduce concerns about using these depression measures in cognitive aging research, as relationships between depression and cognitive decline are unlikely to have been due to item bias, at least in the ways that were measured in the datasets we considered.
KW - cognitive impairment
KW - depressive symptoms
KW - differential item function
KW - item bias
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84938214255&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84938214255&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/gps.4234
DO - 10.1002/gps.4234
M3 - Article
C2 - 25475426
AN - SCOPUS:84938214255
VL - 30
SP - 911
EP - 918
JO - International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
JF - International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
SN - 0885-6230
IS - 9
ER -