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Pediatric sleep questionnaires as diagnostic or epidemiological tools: a review of currently available instruments
1Department of Pediatrics, Comer Children's Hospital, The University of Chicago, 5721 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 8000, Suite K-160 Chicago, IL 60637, USA. kspruyt@peds.bsd.uchicago.edu
Insights
Many pediatric sleep assessment tools lack rigorous psychometric evaluation. Only two instruments fully meet desirable criteria, highlighting a need for improved pediatric sleep research methodologies and tool development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Psychometrics
- Research Methodology
Background:
- Numerous instruments exist to assess pediatric sleep issues.
- Many of these tools lack comprehensive validation and standardization.
- This variability can lead to biased or invalid research findings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and assess instruments used for evaluating pediatric sleep.
- To identify tools that meet established psychometric criteria for instrument development.
- To highlight the need for improved methodological standards in pediatric sleep research.
Main Methods:
- An extensive list of published and unpublished pediatric sleep assessment tools was compiled.
- Instruments were evaluated against fundamental principles of instrument development (11 steps).
- Tools were assessed for psychometric validation and standardization.
Main Results:
- Few identified instruments met rigorous psychometric standards.
- Only 2 instruments fulfilled all desirable psychometric criteria.
- Approximately 11 instruments partially adhered to development requirements and were analyzed further.
Conclusions:
- The field of pediatric sleep research currently utilizes many tools lacking adequate psychometric evaluation.
- This necessitates caution regarding the validity of findings from such instruments.
- There is a critical need for multicentered approaches and robust methodologies to develop and validate new pediatric sleep assessment tools.
Abstract:
An extensive list of published and unpublished instruments used to investigate or evaluate sleep issues in children was collected and assessed based on the fundamental operational principles of instrument development (11 steps). Of all the available tools identified, only a few were validated and standardized using appropriate psychometric criteria. In fact, only 2 fulfill all desirable criteria and approximately 11 instruments seem to adhere to most of the psychometric tool development requirements, and were therefore assessed in greater detail. Notwithstanding, in the rapidly developing scientific world of pediatric sleep, there are too many tools being used that have not undergone careful and methodical psychometric evaluation, and as such may be fraught with biased or invalid findings. It is hoped that this initial effort in categorizing and assessing available tools for pediatric sleep will serve as recognition of the relatively early developmental stage of our field, and provide the necessary impetus for future tool development using multicentered approaches and adequate methodologies.
