Psychometric Study of Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices Using Item Response Theory among University Students in Hajjah Governorate, Yemen

The aim of this study was to estimate the psychometric properties of Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices using the four-parameter item response theory (4PL IRT) model, focusing on item characteristics, ability estimation, and information function. The sample consisted of 1,035 university and college students from Hajjah Governorate, Yemen. Data were analyzed using R (mirt package) and SPSS after verifying the assumptions of the model.
  Item fit was assessed using Chi-square tests and the G² statistic, and the overall fit indices indicated acceptable results. The items demonstrated a wide range of difficulty and discrimination, reflecting their suitability for different ability levels. The average guessing parameter was 0.073, and all values were within the acceptable limit, indicating a low level of random responding. The average carelessness parameter was 0.961 with a low standard deviation, suggesting that most participants responded attentively—except for items (35) and (48), which recorded the lowest values (0.51 and 0.61, respectively) despite being difficult and highly discriminating. These findings confirm the strong psychometric quality of the test and its effectiveness in estimating mental ability.