Measurement Invariance

Measurement invariance is when a test or scale is found to measure the same construct in the same way across different groups of people. Measurement invariance is important for a number of reasons. First, this concept is closely related to test bias. When measurement invariance is not present, then the measure (e.g., an intelligence test, an academic achievement test, or a personality measure) in question may be biased because it is not functioning the same way across different groups, and people’s scores are being affected by their demographic grouping rather than just their true ability or possession of a particular quality. In an applied setting, biased measures can lead to poor assessments and inappropriate decisions regarding diagnoses and services. In a research setting, biased measures ...