Tailoring a measurement model of socioeconomic status: Applying the alignment optimization method to 15 years of PISA

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101723Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • This study investigated items used to measure SES in PISA over 6 cycles.

  • One factor model using 13 items created for SES with metric invariance over time.

  • Alignment optimization showed SES model had acceptable non-invariance across time.

  • Continually used SES items still relevant for SES measurement over time.

Abstract

This study aims to examine one of the key contextual constructs measured in ILSAs, socioeconomic status, within a single national context. Using PISA data from Sweden, this study investigates whether the items used to indicate socioeconomic status can be used to create a construct of socioeconomic status that is applicable to multiple cycles of PISA data in Sweden. MI testing of the 2000 CFA solution across all PISA cycles demonstrates invariance at the metric level. Once the alignment optimization method was applied to the measurement model, the solution fell within the thresholds for acceptable measurement non-invariance. Therefore, this study posits that items retained in the PISA questionnaire since 2000 can be used to tailor a model of SES for Sweden.

Keywords

Socioeconomic status
PISA
Equity
Confirmatory factor analysis
Alignment analysis

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