以試題差異功能檢驗嬰幼兒社會情緒能力之性別差異

Using Differential Item Functioning to Examine the Gender Difference in Social-Emotional Competence of Infants and Young Children

陳介宇(Chieh-Yu Chen) ； 陳靜儀(Ching-I Chen) ； 解慧超(Huichao Xie) ； Jane Squires

《早期療育研究學刊》 1卷1期 (2018/06) Pp. 1-22

https://doi.org/10.6658/BEI.201806_1(1).0001

摘要

本研究探討不同性別之1至72個月大嬰幼兒社會情緒能力表現之差異。以試題差異功能（differential item functioning, DIF）分析年齡與進程問卷：社會情緒二版（Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional, Second Edition, ASQ:SE-2）於2007至2014年間在美國所收集之15,382位樣本。ASQ:SE-2為一份於美國廣泛使用之社會情緒篩檢量表。嬰幼兒於此量表得分越高，則顯示可能有越多的社會情緒問題。研究結果顯示全259題項中有21題具有性別DIF存在，亦即男童及女童在相同的能力之下，在這些題項上得分的機率有顯著差異。女孩在適應行為（adaptive functioning）和自主性（autonomy）領域的特定題項中有較大的可能性得到比同等社會情緒能力的男孩高的分數，亦即答題家長或主要照顧者較容易認為女孩缺乏這些題項代表的社會情緒能力或是展現較多題項相關的行為問題；男孩則較有機會在社會溝通（social communication）和互動（interaction）領域的特定題項中比同等能力的女孩高分，亦即答題家長或主要照顧者認為男孩尚未具備這些題項量測的社會情緒能力或是出現相關的行為問題。文末藉由DIF題項探討性別差異可能的成因。結論探討研究結果在嬰幼兒評量與實務方面之應用，並提出未來可能的研究方向。

關鍵字

社會情緒能力 ； 試題差異功能（DIF） ； 性別差異 ； 嬰幼兒 ； 年齡與進程問卷：社會情緒（ASQ:SE）

並列摘要

This study examined the gender differences on items of a parent-completed social and emotional screening measure administered on infants and young children aged from one to 72 months. Differential item functioning (DIF) was employed to analyze a sample of 15,382 children tested on the Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2) between 2007 and 2014 in the United States. Results identified gender DIF on 21 out of a total of 259 items. ASQ:SE-2 is a widely-used social-emotional screening instrument in the United States. Higher scores on the ASQ:SE-2 indicate the possibility of having more social-emotional problems or lower level of social-emotional competence. In the adaptive functioning and autonomy areas, items on which DIF was detected showed that girls had a higher probability to be rated with higher scores than boys with comparable social-emotional competence. This indicated that parents were concerned more about girls having problems or lacking the skills in these areas. In terms of the items in Social Communication, Self-Regulation, and Interaction areas where DIF was detected, boys were more likely to be rated with higher scores than girls of comparable level of social-emotional development. This indicated that parents were worried more about boys demonstrating the problems or lacking the skills assessed by these items. The discussion section reviewed the gender differences result from DIF analyses and suggested potential explanations. The conclusion remarks reflected upon implications for social-emotional assessment and intervention practices related to infants and young children, as well as discussed directions of future studies.

並列關鍵字

social-emotional development ； differential item functioning (DIF) ； gender differences ； infants and young children ； Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE)