Item Response Theory: Foundations for Psychologists and Social Scientists

by Susan E. Embretson, Steven P. Reise

Overview

This book provides an intuitive and accessible introduction to item response theory (IRT), making complex psychometric concepts easier to grasp through graphical displays and familiar analogies. It bridges theory and application, helping readers interpret and implement IRT models effectively to improve measurement quality in psychology and the social sciences. Covering both foundational and advanced topics, it offers a clear path for understanding contemporary IRT methods and their relevance in research and practice.

With a strong focus on applications, the book explains contemporary IRT models and estimation methods, placing special emphasis on polytomous IRT models, which are widely used in psychological assessments and rating scales. Applications in various research areas are explored in detail, alongside a dedicated chapter on available software to support implementation. The final section delves into advanced IRT topics, including multidimensional models and explanatory approaches for hypothesis testing, making it a valuable resource for those looking to deepen their understanding of psychometric analysis.

An essential for graduate students, researchers, and practitioners in psychology, education, and the social sciences, the book is useful for researchers who are implementing or developing person assessments, as well as for professionals in clinical, industrial, counselling, and behavioural medicine fields who need a strong grasp of contemporary psychometric foundations. Professors teaching measurement courses will find it an ideal core textbook, offering a structured and engaging introduction to IRT and its applications in test development and analysis.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781317537267
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/02/2025
Series:	Multivariate Applications Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	410

About the Author

Susan E. Embretson is Professor Emeritus at both the University of Kansas and the Georgia Institute of Technology in the USA. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. Her primary interest has concerned developing and applying item response theory (IRT) models for the response processes used by examinees to solve aptitude items.

Steven P. Reise received his Ph.D. from the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota in 1990. He is presently Professor of Psychology at UCLA in Quantitative Psychology. His research focuses on the application of item response theory (IRT) models to personality, psychopathology and health outcomes measures. In recent years, his interests have centered on bifactor modeling and projection.

Table of Contents

Section I. Introduction 1. Background and History 2. Advantages of Item Response Theory 3. Item Response Theory as Model-Based Measurement Section II. Basic Item Response Theory Models 4. Binary Item Response Theory Models 5. Polytomous Item Response Theory Models Section III. Estimating Item Parameters and Scoring Persons 6. Measuring Persons 7. Estimating Item Parameters 8. Testing Assumptions and Assessing Fit Section IV. Applications of Item Response Theory Models in Test Development and Assessment 9. Properties of Item Response Theory Scales 10. Differential Item Functioning, Computerized Adaptive Testing and Scale Analysis 11. An Overview of Item Response Theory-Related Computer Software Section V. Advanced Item Response Theory Models 12. Multidimensional Item Response Theory Models 13. Explanatory, Mixture and Other Advanced Item Response Theory Models