Reliability and Dimensionality of the TALIS scale of social desirability: evidence from the Item Response Theory

Abstract

One way to take control over the effect of social desirability on respondent answers is to introduce social desirability scales into questionnaire. Social desirability scale included into the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) and used for the Russian-speaking sample of teachers was not cross-culturally adapted. Besides that, this tool is based on the Marlowe-Crowne Scale where the psychometric characteristics are assessed only according to the Classical Test Theory and have ambiguous results. To fill in the gap in our knowledge of validity of the TALIS scale of social desirability, the authors conducted a psychometric analysis using the Item Response Theory. The results showed good reliability, considerable unidimensionality, though poor scale functioning. Based on the obtained results including simulated data, measures to improve the quality of psychometric characteristics of the scale are proposed by the authors. The key findings concerning the structure of the social desirability construct are made.