View in EDS

What about Tests Make Students Switch Off? Item-Level Predictors of Disengagement on the PISA

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: What about Tests Make Students Switch Off? Item-Level Predictors of Disengagement on the PISA
Language: English
Authors: Juste M. Mehou, Brian C. Leventhal
Source: Journal of Educational Measurement. 2026 63(1).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 22
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Descriptors: Achievement Tests, Secondary School Students, Foreign Countries, International Assessment, Test Wiseness, Item Response Theory, Guessing (Tests), Predictor Variables, Learner Engagement, Cognitive Processes, Difficulty Level, Science Tests, Test Items, Mathematics Tests, Reading Tests, Adaptive Testing
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Program for International Student Assessment
DOI: 10.1111/jedm.70034
ISSN: 0022-0655
1745-3984
Abstract: International assessments, such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), play a critical role in monitoring educational progress, evaluating teaching effectiveness, and supporting institutional accountability. The validity of these interpretations rests on the assumption that students exert sufficient effort and perform to the best of their abilities, condition necessary for tests to reflect students' true proficiency. However, researchers have documented concerns about low effort in low-stakes test contexts where results carry no direct consequences for examinees. Despite growing awareness of this issue, research examining low effort correlates in large-scale assessments like PISA remains limited. Moreover, existing approaches often overlook the correlation between low effort and ability, which can bias estimates of both constructs. The current work used an explanatory IRTree model that jointly estimated science ability and rapid-guessing propensity to examine item-level predictors of disengagement in PISA 2022 science, including Item Position, item interactivity, cognitive demand, and assessment sequencing. Interactive items decreased disengagement which rose with Item Position. Cognitive demand was the strongest predictor, with high-demand items sharply increasing disengagement. Also, science items were less likely to be rapidly guessed when students started with adaptive math or reading rather than science, even after controlling for position. As expected, disengagement was strongly negatively related to science ability, underscoring the value of jointly modeling proficiency and effort in low-stakes contexts. We discuss these results and explore avenues for future research.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1501263
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1501263
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: What about Tests Make Students Switch Off? Item-Level Predictors of Disengagement on the PISA
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Juste+M%2E+Mehou%22">Juste M. Mehou</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brian+C%2E+Leventhal%22">Brian C. Leventhal</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Educational+Measurement%22"><i>Journal of Educational Measurement</i></searchLink>. 2026 63(1).
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 22
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+Tests%22">Achievement Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+School+Students%22">Secondary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22International+Assessment%22">International Assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Wiseness%22">Test Wiseness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Item+Response+Theory%22">Item Response Theory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Guessing+%28Tests%29%22">Guessing (Tests)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Predictor+Variables%22">Predictor Variables</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learner+Engagement%22">Learner Engagement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+Processes%22">Cognitive Processes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Difficulty+Level%22">Difficulty Level</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Tests%22">Science Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Items%22">Test Items</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Tests%22">Mathematics Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Tests%22">Reading Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adaptive+Testing%22">Adaptive Testing</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectThesaurus
  Label: Assessment and Survey Identifiers
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Program+for+International+Student+Assessment%22">Program for International Student Assessment</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1111/jedm.70034
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0022-0655<br />1745-3984
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: International assessments, such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), play a critical role in monitoring educational progress, evaluating teaching effectiveness, and supporting institutional accountability. The validity of these interpretations rests on the assumption that students exert sufficient effort and perform to the best of their abilities, condition necessary for tests to reflect students' true proficiency. However, researchers have documented concerns about low effort in low-stakes test contexts where results carry no direct consequences for examinees. Despite growing awareness of this issue, research examining low effort correlates in large-scale assessments like PISA remains limited. Moreover, existing approaches often overlook the correlation between low effort and ability, which can bias estimates of both constructs. The current work used an explanatory IRTree model that jointly estimated science ability and rapid-guessing propensity to examine item-level predictors of disengagement in PISA 2022 science, including Item Position, item interactivity, cognitive demand, and assessment sequencing. Interactive items decreased disengagement which rose with Item Position. Cognitive demand was the strongest predictor, with high-demand items sharply increasing disengagement. Also, science items were less likely to be rapidly guessed when students started with adaptive math or reading rather than science, even after controlling for position. As expected, disengagement was strongly negatively related to science ability, underscoring the value of jointly modeling proficiency and effort in low-stakes contexts. We discuss these results and explore avenues for future research.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1501263
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1501263
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/jedm.70034
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 22
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Achievement Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: International Assessment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Test Wiseness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Item Response Theory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Guessing (Tests)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Predictor Variables
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Learner Engagement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cognitive Processes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Difficulty Level
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Science Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Test Items
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adaptive Testing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program for International Student Assessment
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: What about Tests Make Students Switch Off? Item-Level Predictors of Disengagement on the PISA
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Juste M. Mehou
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Brian C. Leventhal
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 03
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0022-0655
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1745-3984
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 63
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Educational Measurement
              Type: main
ResultId 1