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Different Responses to Social Capital Among Black People and White People: What Racial Differential Item Functioning
American Journal of Epidemiology
|March 17, 2023
Summary
Social capital measures may not accurately reflect experiences for Black Americans due to structural oppression. This study found differential item functioning, highlighting the need for culturally congruent social capital assessments.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Public Health
- Health Equity
Background:
- Social capital, defined as networks and norms facilitating cooperation, is crucial for societal well-being.
- Long-standing structural oppression against Black people in the U.S. may influence how social capital relates to health outcomes differently across racial groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the psychometric properties of social capital indicators.
- To compare responses between Black and White individuals to identify differential item functioning (DIF) in social capital measures based on race.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2004 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey (n=2,048) from Philadelphia residents.
- Employed item response theory (IRT) analysis to detect racial DIF in social capital items.
Main Results:
- Found significant DIF across social capital items when comparing responses from Black and White participants.
- This suggests potential measurement error attributable to cultural assumptions embedded in item development, likely based on mainstream White American contexts.
Conclusions:
- Existing social capital measures may contain inherent biases due to their development.
- There is a critical need to evaluate social capital measurement tools through an equity lens.
- Future development of social capital items must ensure racial and cultural congruence for accurate assessment across diverse populations.
Keywords:
biasdifferential item functioningitem response theorymeasurement biaspsychometricsracial groupssocial capitalMore Related Videos
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