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Updated: Dec 13, 2025
Human Circadian Phenotyping and Diurnal Performance Testing in the Real World
Published on: April 7, 2020
Comparing two pediatric sleep questionnaires: The Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) and a set of 6 hierarchically
Ahmed I Masoud1, Pranshu A Adavadkar2, Chang Park3
1Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
The 6-question (6Q) pediatric sleep questionnaire is a sensitive and effective tool for screening sleep apnea in children, outperforming the standard Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ). This simple screening method aids in identifying potential sleep apnea cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Respiratory Medicine
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Sleep apnea is a prevalent condition in children, impacting their health and development.
- Accurate screening tools are crucial for early diagnosis and intervention.
- The Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) is commonly used but can be time-consuming.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) and a shorter 6-question (6Q) tool in assessing pre-test probability for pediatric sleep apnea.
- To evaluate the diagnostic performance of both questionnaires against polysomnography (PSG) data.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 116 pediatric patients (ages 7-17) completed both the PSQ and 6Q questionnaires before undergoing sleep studies.
- Correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the relationship between questionnaire scores and the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI).
- Area under the curve (AUC) analysis was used to evaluate the prediction of moderate to severe sleep apnea.
Main Results:
- The 6Q demonstrated statistically significant correlation with the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) (rho = 0.294, p = 0.001).
- The 6Q effectively predicted moderate (AUC = 0.650) and severe (AUC = 0.788) sleep apnea.
- The PSQ did not show statistical significance in correlating with AHI or predicting sleep apnea severity.
Conclusions:
- The 6-question (6Q) tool is a statistically significant and effective screening instrument for pediatric sleep apnea.
- Despite requiring further validation, the 6Q offers a sensitive, user-friendly alternative for screening children for sleep apnea.
- These findings suggest the 6Q can significantly aid in the initial screening process for pediatric sleep apnea.
Objective:
To compare the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) and a less time-consuming set of 6 hierarchically arranged questions (6Q) as they relate to the pre-test probability for sleep apnea in pediatric patients.
Methods:
Parents of 116 subjects between the ages of 7 and 17 answered two sleep questionnaires (the PSQ and the 6Q) distributed in random order before the subjects had sleep studies. Correlation coefficients were used for apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) prediction, while the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated for sleep apnea classification prediction.
Results:
The 6Q showed statistical significance, while the more commonly used PSQ did not, both in terms of correlating with AHI (rho = 0.294, p = 0.001) and predicting moderate and severe sleep apnea (AUC = 0.650 and 0.788, respectively).
Conclusion:
Although additional field validation is required, these pediatric sleep questionnaires are sensitive and easy-to-use screening tools that can greatly help in the screening for pediatric sleep apnea.
