DIFFICULTY AND DISCRIMINATION PARAMETERS OF THE KTK INSTRUMENT MOTOR TASKS: AN ANALYSIS FROM ITEM RESPONSE THEORY

ABSTRACT

In the last decades, the use of Item Response Theory (IRT) has been implemented due to the complexity of statistical calculations that allows for in-depth analysis of educational tests, questionnaires and lists of items applied in different areas such as psychometry, sports ranking and pedagogy. Based on this premise, this study aimed to verify the suitability of the KTK motor tasks analyzing the degree of difficulty and discrimination parameters of each motor task. A total of 385 children aged 5 to 14 years participated in the study. The instrument evaluated was the KTK (Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder), consisting of four motor tasks: balance beam, single-pedal jumps, side jumps and platform transposition. Analyzes were conducted from the raw data acquired in each motor task. In order to verify the factor structure of the theoretical matrix underlying the test, an exploratory factor analysis was performed, followed by a confirmatory factor analysis. The difficulty and discrimination parameters of each motor task were analyzed using the gradual response model, based on the Item Response Theory (IRT). The results corroborate the factor structure suggested in the original version of the KTK, presenting only one factor, called motor coordination. The AFC indicators were acceptable, indicating good quality of the model adjusted for the sample. It is concluded that the IRT analysis evidenced differences in the parameters of difficulty and discrimination between the KTK motor tasks, demonstrating the importance of considering a weighting in the creation of normative tables of motor assessments.

Keywords:
Motor coordination; Evaluation; Item response theory