Detection of Differential Item Functioning with Non-Linear Regression: Non-IRT Approach Accounting for Guessing

In this article, we present a new method for estimation of Item Response Function and for detection of uniform and non-uniform Differential Item Functioning (DIF) in dichotomous items based on Non-Linear Regression (NLR). Proposed method extends Logistic Regression (LR) procedure by including pseudoguessing parameter. NLR technique is compared to LR procedure and Lord’s and Raju’s statistics for three-parameter Item Response Theory (IRT) models in simulation study based on Graduate Management Admission Test. NLR shows superiority in power at low rejection rate over IRT methods and outperforms LR procedure in power for case of uniform DIF detection. Our research suggests that the newly proposed non-IRT procedure is an attractive and user friendly approach to DIF detection.