Analysis of psychometric properties of the cube test to evaluate visuospatial reasoning

Abstract

Resumo AbstractThe objective of the present research was to contribute with new information regarding the validity evidence of the Cube Test. More specifi cally, psychometric properties of the items were analyzed through the Item Response Theory (IRT) and the test structure was analyzed using Confi rmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The sample was composed of 684 subjects, with a mean age of 21.3 years (SD = 5.94) and 50.3% were female. Results showed that IRT analyses confi rm the adjustment of the items to the model, whereas the CFA suggested that a two-factor model was the most adequate. The fi ndings, besides offering favorable results about the instrument, supported the validity evidence present in the Cube Test manual.

An application of item response theory to psychological test development

“…In research as well as in applied contexts, details about the area in which the latent traits measured by the test are doing better measurement (and how well) would help clinics, researchers or test makers to decide which test is more appropriate for their specific interests. In addition, a test that is free of examinee sample characteristics in test development allows for more reliable comparisons among respondents as well as groups (see some recent IRT applications in the Brazilian context: Brant et al 2015;Carvalho et al 2013;Knijnik et al 2014;Lopes, & Bueno, 2014;Muniz et al 2014).…”