Abstract
Mantel-Haenszel statistic and the logistic regression in the detection of DIF in two aptitude tests. Psychometricians have stressed the need for studying the psychometric characteristics of items applied to groups of subjects with characteristics dif ferent to those of the original target population, focusing on the detection of items which function differentially across groups (DIF). This question was studied in a situation of languages in contact, such as the Valencian Community (Spain). In this region, it is quite frequent to apply ability tests developed in Spanish language to children whose family and/or school language is Valencian. This paper analyzes the congruence of the Mantel-Haenszel statistic and the logistic r egression in the detection of DIF in two scales, written and validated in Spanish, and frequently applied in the Valencian educational context. Results were interpreted attending to the specific characteristics of DIF items and simulation studies. Several recomendations to consider in future investigations of psychological scales with DIF items are given.
