Recognition Versus Ability to Use External Aids: An Exploratory Item Response Analysis of the Functional External Memory Aid Tool.

Purpose: Item response theory (IRT) offers an alternative psychometric approach that can provide more specific measurement information beyond classical test theory (CTT). The Functional External Memory Aid Tool (FEMAT) is a performance-based assessment that evaluates everyday strategy use. Developed...

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Publicado en:Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research Vol. 68; no. 9; pp. 4358 - 4376
Autores principales: Saylor, Anna K., Student, Sanford R., Lanzi, Alyssa M.
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Sep2025
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Sep2025
      vid: 68
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      pub: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
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        10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00019
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        atl: Recognition Versus Ability to Use External Aids: An Exploratory Item Response Analysis of the Functional External Memory Aid Tool.
      aug:
        au:
          Saylor, Anna K.
          Student, Sanford R.
          Lanzi, Alyssa M.
        affil:
          Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of Delaware, Newark
          Delaware Center for Cognitive Aging Research, University of Delaware, Newark
          School of Education, University of Delaware, Newark
      su:
        United States
        Recognition (Psychology)
        Psychometrics
        Memory
        Analysis of variance
        Activities of daily living
        Mild cognitive impairment
        Cronbach's alpha
        Research funding
        Research methodology evaluation
        Descriptive statistics
        Simulation methods in education
        Factor analysis
        Data analysis software
      sug:
        subj:
          Recognition (Psychology)
          Psychometrics
          Memory
          Analysis of variance
          Activities of daily living
          United States
          Mild cognitive impairment
          Cronbach's alpha
          Research funding
          Research methodology evaluation
          Descriptive statistics
          Simulation methods in education
          Factor analysis
          Data analysis software
      ab: Purpose: Item response theory (IRT) offers an alternative psychometric approach that can provide more specific measurement information beyond classical test theory (CTT). The Functional External Memory Aid Tool (FEMAT) is a performance-based assessment that evaluates everyday strategy use. Developed using CTT, the FEMAT item stems measure various compensation skills such as recognizing when to use a strategy, the ability to use a strategy, and information recall. This study aimed to investigate how the FEMAT aligns with the principles of IRT and whether IRT can provide additional insights about client performance from FEMAT item stems. Method: We conducted a preliminary analysis of item responses from the initial FEMAT psychometric evaluation data set (N = 99), screened for IRT assumptions, and ran a partial credit IRT model. To evaluate item stem characteristics, we completed the same IRT evaluation process and then performed analyses of variance to compare item stem difficulty across groupings. Results: The overall item analysis revealed a normal distribution of response categories, although some items had low frequencies in Response Categories 1 or 3. The IRT assumptions were met, with evidence of unidimensionality and local independence, and all FEMAT items fit within the acceptable range for the model. Item stems measuring recognition of when to use everyday strategies were significantly more difficult than those assessing the ability to use everyday strategies. Conclusions: This IRT analysis expanded the psychometric evidence examining the FEMAT and revealed additional measurement properties of the tool. The item-level detail from the IRT analysis can inform score interpretation and identify potential areas for improvement or refinement of the measure.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
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