Research | Item Calibration for Computer Adaptive Mental Well-Being Scale for a non-illness Intervention using Graded Rating Model

Jumoke I. Oladele

University of Ilorin, Nigeria

Abstract: Mental health is conceptualised as a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can contribute to his or her community. The purpose of the research was to calibrate an optimal item bank for a Mental Wellbeing Computer Adaptive Test (MWB-CAT) for use by university undergraduates in Nigeria, which informed the study sample. The instrument for the study would be a Likert-scaled questionnaire with items based on indices of mental well-being. The scale would be face- and content-validated by medical, sociological, and educational-psychological experts, while a trial test was conducted to determine the reliability of the test items. The scale parameters were analysed using the Graded Rating Scale Model (GRM) for polytomously scored items and deployed through the Xcalibre 4.2 programme. This study yielded a calibrated item bank of 173 items with an alpha value of 0.8469, a mean, and a standard deviation of 0.0344(0.8658). This study is germane to achieving SDG Goal 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all.

Keywords: Mental health, Well-being, Item bank Calibration, Computer Adaptive Testing, Samejima’s Graded Response Model

Citation: Oladele, J. I. (2023). Item Calibration for Computer Adaptive Mental Well-Being Scale for a non-illness Intervention using Graded Rating Model. Journal of Computer Adaptive Testing in Africa, 2. https://doi.org/10.71291/jocatia.v2i.26

Funding: The contributions of all the students who participated in this study are duly acknowledged. The author also acknowledges funding by Carnegie Corporation of New York, deployed through the FAR-LeaF Programme.

Open Access https://doi.org/10.71291/jocatia.v2i.26