Criteria that demonstrate differential criterion functioning (DCF) need not reflect bias or variance across subgroups if the DCF occurs in opposing directions, e.g., with some criteria resulting in greater discrimination or severity among men and others demonstrating the opposite effect) (Cooke et al., 2001; Bolt et al., 2004). Whether criteria demonstrating significant DCF do in fact reflect invariance across subgroups can be determined if the observed DCFs cancel out at the total test (scale) score level. To examine this, we plotted the expected raw scores by the severity of the cannabis use disorder continuum by age – plots referred to as the test response curves (TRCs). Due to sample size considerations, only TRCs by sex could be examined in this study. If the TRCs for subgroups (i.e., for men and women) do not substantially differ, we can conclude that any significant criterion-level DCFs that may be observed cancel out when considered at the total scale level, and that, for any latent trait value, men and women have identical expected raw scores. If, however, the TRCs do differ substantially between subgroups
