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Racial/ethnic differences in responses to the everyday discrimination scale: a differential item functioning analysis
Tené T Lewis1, Frances M Yang, Elizabeth A Jacobs
1Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA. tene.lewis@yale.edu
American Journal of Epidemiology
|February 7, 2012
Summary
The Everyday Discrimination Scale shows slight differences across racial/ethnic groups, particularly in public service and courtesy experiences. Researchers should use caution with specific items showing differential item functioning (DIF).
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Sociology
Background:
- The Everyday Discrimination Scale is widely used in public health research.
- Understanding how race/ethnicity impacts scale responses is crucial for accurate data interpretation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the impact of race/ethnicity on responses to the Everyday Discrimination Scale.
- To identify differential item functioning (DIF) across racial/ethnic groups.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 3,295 middle-aged US women from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN).
- Utilized multiple-indicator, multiple-cause models to assess DIF.
- Adjusted for age, education, and language of interview.
Main Results:
- Meaningful DIF was observed for 3 out of 10 items related to service, dishonesty, and courtesy.
- Discrimination profiles varied slightly by race/ethnicity.
- Public service experiences were more salient for African-American and Chinese women; dishonesty for minority women; courtesy for Hispanic women.
Conclusions:
- The Everyday Discrimination Scale can potentially be used across racial/ethnic groups.
- Researchers should exercise caution with items exhibiting DIF.
- Findings highlight the nuanced experience of discrimination across diverse populations.
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