TY - JOUR
T1 - The validity of a self-reported delinquency scale
T2 - Comparisons across gender, age, race, and place of residence
AU - Piquero, Alex R.
AU - Macintosh, Randall
AU - Hickman, Matthew
PY - 2002/1/1
Y1 - 2002/1/1
N2 - Self-reported delinquency scales have been widely adopted by researchers seeking to measure delinquency. Establishing the validity of these scales is critical because if valid measures are not created, findings about the correlates of delinquency will be of limited use in testing theory and formulating public policy. In this article, the authors use data from the first wave of the National Youth Survey to examine the measurement properties of a commonly used delinquency scale. The authors use the Rasch measurement model to test whether the scale meets the requirements of fundamental measurement and whether consistent measurement has occurred across subgroups including gender, age, race, and place of residence. Our results indicate that the original response category options are inadequate and differential item functioning exists across various subgroups. Methodological implications and directions for future research are identified.
AB - Self-reported delinquency scales have been widely adopted by researchers seeking to measure delinquency. Establishing the validity of these scales is critical because if valid measures are not created, findings about the correlates of delinquency will be of limited use in testing theory and formulating public policy. In this article, the authors use data from the first wave of the National Youth Survey to examine the measurement properties of a commonly used delinquency scale. The authors use the Rasch measurement model to test whether the scale meets the requirements of fundamental measurement and whether consistent measurement has occurred across subgroups including gender, age, race, and place of residence. Our results indicate that the original response category options are inadequate and differential item functioning exists across various subgroups. Methodological implications and directions for future research are identified.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036248763&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0049124102030004002
DO - 10.1177/0049124102030004002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0036248763
SN - 0049-1241
VL - 30
SP - 492
EP - 529
JO - Sociological Methods and Research
JF - Sociological Methods and Research
IS - 4
ER -