Variance decomposition using an IRT measurement model.
paper
Cited
Public
- Authors
- van den Berg, StΓ©phanie M; Glas, Cees A W; Boomsma, Dorret I
- Year
- 2007
- Journal
- Behavior genetics
- PMID
- 17534709
- DOI
- 10.1007/s10519-007-9156-1
- PMCID
- PMC1914301
Large scale research projects in behaviour genetics and genetic epidemiology are often based on questionnaire or interview data. Typically, a number of items is presented to a number of subjects, the subjects' sum scores on the items are computed, and the variance of sum scores is decomposed into a number of variance components. This paper discusses several disadvantages of the approach of analysing sum scores, such as the attenuation of correlations amongst sum scores due to their unreliability. It is shown that the framework of Item Response Theory (IRT) offers a solution to most of these problems. We argue that an IRT approach in combination with Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation provides a flexible and efficient framework for modelling behavioural phenotypes. Next, we use data simulation to illustrate the potentially huge bias in estimating variance components on the basis of sum scores. We then apply the IRT approach with an analysis of attention problems in young adult twins where the variance decomposition model is extended with an IRT measurement model. We show that when estimating an IRT measurement model and a variance decomposition model simultaneously, the estimate for the heritability of attention problems increases from 40% (based on sum scores) to 73%.
Correlations of simulated sum scores as a function of true correlation at the latent level, variance of the latent trait (quality of the scale), and scatter of the item Ξ² parameters (entire scale or only top half, i.e., all > 0)
| Name | Type |
|---|---|
| 1PL IRT model local | drug |
| a1 local | variant |
| a2 local | variant |
| additive genetic influences | cohort |
| AE model local | phenotype |
| attention problems | phenotype |
| Attention problems (AP) subscale local | phenotype |
| behavioral phenotypes | phenotype |
| birth cohort | cohort |
| children | cohort |
| conservatism local | phenotype |
| construct local | phenotype |
| Continuous traits local | phenotype |
| disease | phenotype |
| dominance genetic effects local | phenotype |
| dominance genetic variance local | phenotype |
| DZ correlation local | phenotype |
| DZ twin cohort local | cohort |
| Empirical data local | cohort |
| epistasis local | phenotype |
| extraversion | phenotype |
| Family design local | cohort |
| general population | cohort |
| Genetic variance | phenotype |
| healthy | phenotype |
| heritability | phenotype |
| Heritability coefficient local | phenotype |
| heritiability local | phenotype |
| Indirectly measured phenotypes local | phenotype |
| IRT measurement model local | drug |
| latent data local | phenotype |
| latent trait | phenotype |
| latent trait ΞΈ local | phenotype |
| Liability_score local | phenotype |
| log-transformed sum scores local | phenotype |
| Log-transformed sum scores local | drug |
| Lower end of scale local | phenotype |
| measurement error local | phenotype |
| Multilog local | drug |
| MZ correlation local | phenotype |
| MZ twin cohort local | cohort |
| Netherlands Twin Register | cohort |
| Nonβadditive genetic component local | phenotype |
| non-shared environmental effects local | phenotype |
| non-shared environmental variance local | phenotype |
| Normal AE model local | drug |
| Person | cohort |
| phenotype of interest | phenotype |
| polygenic traits local | phenotype |
| psychiatric disorders | phenotype |
| psychopathology | phenotype |
| Psychopathology scales local | phenotype |
| reliability local | phenotype |
| Reliability local | phenotype |
| sex | phenotype |
| shared environmental influence | phenotype |
| Sibling pair local | cohort |
| Sick local | phenotype |
| simulated data | cohort |
| Simulated item data local | cohort |
| sum scores | drug |
| sum scores local | phenotype |
| symptom | phenotype |
| Symptom_parameter local | phenotype |
| trait | phenotype |
| Twin cohort | cohort |
| Upper end of scale local | phenotype |
| Van den Berg et al. 2006c local | cohort |
| YASR local | cohort |
| young adults | cohort |
| Young Adult Self-Report local | phenotype |
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| Title | Year | PMID |
|---|---|---|
| Harmonization of Neuroticism and Extraversion phenotypes across inventories and cohorts in the Genetics of Personality Consortium: an application of Item Response Theory. | 2014 | 24828478 |
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