Item Bias Analysis of the Young Schema-Questionnaire for Psychopathology, Gender, and Educational Level.

This study examines the construct validity of the Young Schema-Questionnaire at the item level in a Dutch population. Possible bias of items in relation to the presence or absence of psychopathology, gender, and educational level was analyzed, using a cross-validation design. None of the items of the YSQ exhibited differential item functioning (DIF) for gender, and only one item showed DIF for educational level. Furthermore, item bias analysis did not identify DIF for the presence or absence of psychopathology in as much as 195 of the 205 items comprising the YSQ. Ten items, however, spread over the questionnaire, were found to yield relatively inconsistent response patterns for patients and nonclinical participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]