Accuracy of DIF Estimates and Power in Unbalanced Designs Using the Mantel–Haenszel DIF Detection Procedure

This study examined how much improvement was attainable with respect to accuracy of differential item functioning (DIF) measures and DIF detection rates in the Mantel–Haenszel procedure when employing focal and reference groups with notably unbalanced sample sizes where the focal group has a fixed small sample which does not satisfy the minimum DIF sample size requirement specified by the testing programs, while the reference group sample size far exceeds the minimum requirement. Results showed equivalent or better results with such unbalanced but large samples than with some of the currently used minimum DIF sample size conditions. DIF investigation, therefore, does not necessarily need to cease when the focal group does not meet the minimum sample size requirement. Some analytic explanations and guidelines for DIF investigations with unbalanced sample sizes are also provided.