SHSP-C007-1/00

Questionnaire Development and Psychometric Evaluation

RTI has extensive experience with the entire questionnaire development and evaluation process from itemgeneration and cognitive pretesting to psychometric scaling and analysis of questionnaire data. Our uniqueteam of psychologists, survey methodologists, statisticians, and psychometricians specialize in combiningthe use of cognitive and psychometric methods to develop questionnaires which are both easy to understandand psychometrically sound.

## Cognitive Laboratory Methods: Cognitive ## Applied Psychometric Group: We havemethods provide important tools for designed studies to assess the psychometricexamining the thought processes that affect properties of questionnaires, such asthe quality of answers provided to reliability, validity, test dimensionality, andquestionnaire items. These research methods differential item functioning. We analyzelead to greater validity, better reliability, and data from both the pre-testing phase ofmore accurate measurement. Our staff have questionnaire development as well as after aconsiderable expertise in this rapidly study has been completed. The members ofdeveloping area, with professional training in our Applied Psychometric Group havecognitive and social psychology, survey formal training in psychometrics andmethodology, and experimental design. We expertise in many advanced psychometricare skilled in using cognitive interviews, techniques, including Item Response Theoryquestionnaire and forms appraisal, focus (IRT), Structural Equation Modeling (SEM),groups, and other research methods to and Latent Growth Curve Analysis. Ourimprove survey instruments and designs. We staff regularly consult with staff from theperform this work in our state-of-the-art neighboring L.L. Thurstone Psychometriccognitive laboratory facilities or in field Laboratory at the University of Northlocations. Carolina for specialized or unique

psychometric problems.

Recent projects featuring questionnaire development and psychometric evaluation include the developmentof self-administered questionnaires designed to address a variety of issues, including sexual functioning;consumer satisfaction with health care plans and health care quality; barriers to prenatal care and infantimmunization; tobacco, alcohol and drug use; patient satisfaction with antibiotics and antifungalmedications; health education; and quality of life specific to a variety of psychiatric, respiratory, and pain-related disorders. We have also adapted questionnaires that were originally designed for use withindifferent patient populations or cultures to address the multi-dimensional impacts of chronic pain, cysticfibrosis, heart disease, and incontinence. Finally, we have conducted psychometric analyses ofquestionnaire data across a wide range of domains.