(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2006)
Embretson, Susan E.; Yang, Xiangdong
Contemporary views on cognitive theory (e.g., Sternberg and Perez, 2005) regard typical measurement tasks, such as ability and achievement test items, multidimensional, rather than unidimensional. Assessing the
levels and the sources of multidimensionality in an item domain is important for item selection as well as for
item revision and development. In this paper, multicomponent latent trait models (MLTM) and traditional multidimensional item response theory models are described mathematically and compared for the nature of
the dimensions that can be estimated. Then, sonic applications are presented to provide examples of MLTM. Last, practical estimation procedures are described, along with syntax, for the estimation of MLTM and a related model.