How Accurate and Consistent Are Score-Based Assessment Decisions? A Procedure Using the Linear Factor Model

Abstract

When scales or tests are used to make decisions about individuals (e.g., to identify which adults should be assessed for psychiatric disorders), it is crucial that these decisions be accurate and consistent. However, it is not obvious how to assess accuracy and consistency when the scale was administered only once to a given sample and the true condition based on the latent variable is unknown. This article describes a method based on the linear factor model for evaluating the accuracy and consistency of scale-based decisions using data from a single administration of the scale. We illustrate the procedure and provide R code that investigators can use to apply the method in their own data. Finally, in a simulation study, we evaluate how the method performs when applied to discrete (vs. continuous) items, a practice that is common in published literature. The results suggest that the method is generally robust when applied to discrete items.