TY - JOUR TI - A classical test theory and item response theory analysis of the DSM-IV symptom criteria for a major depressive episode using data from the National Comorbidity Survey--Replication DO - https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3T153QF PY - 2010 AB - Formal psychiatric symptom criteria are used to delineate the boundary between “normal” and “abnormal” behavior. In North America, the current official psychodiagnostic criteria for a multitude of psychiatric disorders are codified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th Edition, text revision) (APA, 2000). Psychodiagnostic symptom criteria are indicators of psychopathological constructs that are clearly latent, however, it is somewhat astonishing that formal psychometric techniques that have been developed to model latent constructs have not been used to develop and evaluate psychodiagnostic symptom criteria (Aggen, Neale, & Kendler, 2005; Zimmerman, McGlinchey, Young, & Chelminski, 2006a, 2006b). There are two main psychometric paradigms that are currently in use: classical test theory and item response theory (Crocker & Algina, 1986). Classical test theory has been extensively used on both cognitive constructs and noncognitive constructs (Crocker & Algina, 1986; Embretson & Hershberger, 1999). Item response theory is considered to be theoretically superior to classical test theory and it has revolutionized the creation and evaluation of cognitive constructs (Crocker & Algina, 1986; Embretson & Hershberger, 1999; McDonald, 1999). However, item response theory has not been extensively utilized for the creation and evaluation of noncognitive constructs, even though it holds great promise in this regard (Reise, 1999; Reise & Henson, 2003). The proposed study will use classical test theory and item response theory to assess the psychodiagnostic symptom criteria for depression as found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th Edition, text revision) (APA, 2000). The data to be used in the proposed study was collected in the National Comorbidity Survey – Replication, which was a nationally representative epidemiological community survey (Kessler et al., 2004; Kessler & Merikangas, 2004). The results of such a study will give a sophisticated psychometric perspective on the psychodiagnostic symptom criteria of depression that has not yet been available and it will provide valuable information on improving and refining future diagnostic symptom criteria of depression. KW - Education KW - Item response theory KW - Psychometrics KW - Depression, Mental--Diagnosis LA - eng ER -