2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Development of Mental Health Assessment System with CAT Technique and Its Application to Workplaces
| Project/Area Number |
14570367
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Public health/Health science
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| Research Institution | Faculty of Human and Social Environment, Hiroshima International University (2004-2005)
University of East Asia (2002-2003) |
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Principal Investigator |
IWATA Noboru Hiroshima International University, Department of Clinical Psychology, Professor, 人間環境学部, 教授 (80203389)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2002 – 2005
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| Keywords | Occupational Mental Health / Item Response Theory / Computerized Adaptive Testing / Mental Health |
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| Research Abstract |
(1)Differential Item Functioning (DIF) Analyses
The cross-cultural/ethnic DIF analyses were conducted on data of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) obtained from university students in East Asia, North and South America. Japanese have a tendency to suppress the expression of positive affect as compared to people in North and South America, after controlling the latent trait of depressive symptomatology.
(2)Item Response Theory (IRT) Analyses
The Generalized Partial Credit Model of IRT was employed to test whether the intervals between response alternatives were equal or not using data on the Brief Stress Questionnaire (BSQ) and CES-D, both with four-response alternatives. The interval between the responses of "often" and "almost always" was narrow for psychological items. The range between "almost never" through "almost always" was narrower for depressive items, suggesting that depressive symptoms would be better assessed by dichotomous type of measurement.
(3)Development of Computerized-Adaptive Testing (CAT) System for Mental Health Assessment
An initial version of CAT system was developed using location and discrimination parameters of the BSQ stress symptom items obtained by the Modified Graded Response Model of IRT. A CAT algorithm employed a restricted Bayesian method for item selection, and standard error of θ estimation < 0.35 for stopping rule. A feedback display was developed to show a result immediately after execution.
(4)A field trial of the CAT system
A field trial of this initial CAT system revealed that 1)approx. 10 items were sufficient to estimate a respondent's level ; 2)the mean response time was 7 seconds ; 3)a tendency that item with higher discrimination would be more likely to be selected ; and thus 4)somatic symptom items having poor discrimination should be set for another CAT module. Further improvement of this system seems to make greater innovation in occupational mental health activities.
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