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Abstract

Introduction:

Troxel’s Chronic Stressor Scale (CSS) is widely used in survey-based comparative research to investigate racial or gender differences in stress-health relationships, but its measurement invariance remains untested. This study aimed to examine the measurement invariance of CSS across age, gender, race, ethnicity, and temporality.

Methods:

This analysis used the longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 2,263). Model fit was evaluated using infit/outfit statistics, person/item separation, and reliability indices. Differential Item Functioning (DIF) was assessed using Rasch’s Rating Scale Model.

Results:

CSS demonstrated strong item reliability but poor person reliability. Significant DIF was identified in housing stress between Black and White Americans, in self-health stress and occupational stress between younger and older groups, and financial stress between 2012 and 2020.

Discussion:

Despite strong item reliability, CSS’s significant DIF across race, age, and temporality suggests caution when directly comparing composite or item scores across diverse populations and time points.

Keywords

chronic stress differential item functioning cross-cultural comparison measurement invariance response shift transcultural survey design psychometrics

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Response Shift and Measurement Invariance of Chronic Stressor Scale

Abstract

Introduction:

Methods:

Results:

Discussion:

Keywords

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References