Revising Translated Differential Item Functioning Items as a Tool for Improving Cross-Lingual Assessment

When a test is translated from a source language into a target language, the 2 tests are generally not psychometrically equivalent. Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis can facilitate an understanding of the differences between the tests in the 2 languages and can help translators to revise translated items to produce non-DIF (or lower DIF) items. Based on the reasons found for DIF in Allalouf, Hambleton, and Sireci (1999; differences in word difficulty, item format, content, and cultural relevance), a panel of translators and researchers revised the target-language DIF items detected in that study. The revised items were then readministered. Results showed that the revisions succeeded in reducing DIF considerably. For cross-validation purposes, the original translated items were readministered and the study results were generally validated. An attempt was made to determine which sources of DIF and which item types could be revised most effectively. The revision process is expensive, so considerations of cost-effectiveness should be taken into account. Revisions to reduce DIF in translated items may follow the steps used in this study.