An Intersectional Approach to Differential Item Functioning: Reflecting Configurations of Inequality

Authors

Michael Russell, Boston CollegeFollow
Larry Kaplan, Boston College

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7275/20614854

Abstract

Differential Item Functioning (DIF) is commonly employed to examine measurement bias of test scores. Current approaches to DIF compare item functioning separately for select demographic identities such as gender, racial stratification, and economic status. Examining potential item bias fails to recognize and capture the intersecting configurations of inequality (McCall, 2001) specific to a person's identify which impact item bias. The study presented here explores an intersectional approach to the flagging of items for content review using the standardized-D DIF method. The intersectional approach aims to capture the confounding/compounding impacts of intersectional configurations of inequality.

Recommended Citation

Russell, Michael and Kaplan, Larry (2021) "An Intersectional Approach to Differential Item Functioning: Reflecting Configurations of Inequality," Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation: Vol. 26, Article 21.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7275/20614854
Available at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/pare/vol26/iss1/21