Calibration of an Item Bank Using the Rasch model to measure numeric, verbal and Spatial Reasoning

In the educational field, intelligence tests are considered one of the best predictors of the academic performance of students. The purpose of the present study is the adaptation of an item pool and the development of an item bank (IB) that allows to accurately and objectively assess some specific cognitive abilities (verbal, numerical and spatial reasoning) and an indicator of general intelligence. For this purpose, the authors selected, translated, and administered 255 items from the Russell and Carter IB. The sample consisted of 1140 students from the National University of Cordoba (Argentina), 616 female, 392 male, and 132 who did not report the sex, with ages ranging between 17 and 49 years (M = 20.29; SD = 3.25). The results express that the items, in general, have adequate psychometric properties both for the specific skills and for general intelligence. The authors used the Rasch model for data analysis, recommended for the construction or adaptation of tests. The article discusses the implications of the application of this model in cognitive skills tests.