An item analysis of gender differences on the SRSS‐IE in middle school

Abstract

This study examined gender differences in the psychometric properties of the Student Risk Screening Scale for Internalizing and Externalizing behaviors (SRSS‐IE) using item response theory methods among a sample of 2,122 middle school students. The SRSS‐IE is a screening instrument used to identify students who are potentially at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Differential item functioning and differential step functioning methods were used to examine differences in item and response option functioning according to student gender variables. Additionally, test information functions (TIFs) were used to indicate if current recommendations for moderate EBD risk and high EBD risk cut scores differ by gender. Results of this study indicated two items on the SRSS‐IE systematically favored males over females, and one item systematically favored females over males. Additionally, examination of TIFs demonstrated differing degrees of measurement precision at various levels of theta for males and females on both the externalizing and internalizing constructs. Implications of these results are discussed relative to the SRSS‐IE items, cut scores, and scale scoring procedures.