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The sleep and settle questionnaire for parents of infants: psychometric properties
1Department of Psychology, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. pmhs@unsw.edu.au
Insights
The Sleep and Settle Questionnaire (SSQ) shows good validity for assessing infant sleep and parental concern, though infant behavior reporting has low short-term reliability. It is a useful clinical and research tool.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Health
Background:
- Infant sleep and settling behaviors significantly impact parental well-being and adjustment.
- Validated tools are needed to assess infant sleep behaviors and parental concerns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the psychometric properties of the parent-report Sleep and Settle Questionnaire (SSQ).
- To assess the reliability and validity of the SSQ in measuring infant sleep/settling and parental concern.
Main Methods:
- Test-retest reliability assessed with 20 mothers over 7-14 days.
- Validity examined by comparing groups with and without infant sleep difficulties.
- Sensitivity to change evaluated from 6 weeks to 6 months postpartum.
Main Results:
- Low test-retest reliability for infant sleep/settling behavior items.
- Moderate reliability for parental concern items.
- Good discriminant and concurrent validity demonstrated across samples.
Conclusions:
- Infant sleep behavior changes rapidly, while parental concern is more stable.
- The SSQ is a valid instrument sensitive to infant behavior differences.
- Recommended for clinical and research use, complementing psychosocial assessments.
Objective:
To determine the psychometric properties of a parent-report questionnaire (Sleep and Settle Questionnaire (SSQ)) assessing: (i) the infant's sleep and settling behaviour, and (ii) the parent's level of concern with such behaviours.
Methodology:
Test-retest reliability was determined by administering the SSQ to 20 mothers on two occasions, 7-14 days apart. Validity was determined by comparing SSQ responses between mothers with 6-week-old infants who, on a semistructured questionnaire, reported no sleep or settling difficulties (n = 56-60) with those who reported they were experiencing difficulties (n = 133). Further comparison was made with a sample of mothers (n = 34-36) attending a community class on sleep and settling difficulties with infants. Sensitivity to change was determined by comparing mothers' SSQ responses at 6-weeks and 6-months postpartum.
Results:
The SSQ was found to have low test-retest reliability on items referring to the infants' sleep and settling behaviour, but moderate reliability for the extent that such behaviour bothered the parent. Comparison across the different samples showed good discriminant and concurrent validity.
Conclusions:
Parental reports on the SSQ indicates that over a short period (1-2 weeks) the infants' sleep and settling behaviour can change considerably, but that the extent to which such behaviour bothers the parent is more stable. Good validity demonstrates the SSQ is sensitive to differing infant behaviour. It is recommended as both a clinical and research instrument, and could be used to complement assessments focusing on the parent's psychosocial adjustment in the early postpartum period.