Conners 4 Manual Chapter 10: Summary |
The Conners 4 meets test standards for psychometric evidence of fairness (AERA, APA, & NCME,
2014). Measurement invariance, differential test
functioning, and mean differences for the Conners 4 were examined for key demographic groups
(i.e., gender, race/ethnicity, parental education level, and
country of residence). While the demographic characteristics explored were extensive, there was
a practical limitation to addressing diversity beyond what
can be explored with the current samples (e.g., countries of residence other than U.S. and
Canada, representation of non-binary gender identities,
representation of other racial/ethnic groups). The Conners 4 Content Scales, Impairment &
Functional Outcome Scales, DSM Symptom Scales, and Critical &
Indicator Items were investigated with respect to the available demographic groups.
Statistically significant results were not found for the overwhelming
majority of analyses conducted, and very small effect sizes were observed across the rater
forms. While teacher ratings may yield slightly higher scores
for Black students than White students, the differences were small and are not brought on by
item or test bias. There was strong evidence to support the
lack of measurement bias and the minimal impact of demographic characteristics on the Conners 4,
supporting the fair interpretation of the test scores for
youth from diverse backgrounds.