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Validation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Polish Language Version of the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children
Małgorzata Jączak-Goździak1, Oliviero Bruni2, Marcin Żarowski1
1Department of Developmental Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland.
Insights
The Polish version of the Sleep Disorders Scale for Children (SDSC) is a reliable tool for identifying sleep disorders in children. The study found 18.68% of participants had at least one sleep issue.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Psychometrics
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Sleep disorders are prevalent in children, impacting development and well-being.
- Validating assessment tools is crucial for accurate diagnosis and intervention.
- Existing tools may require adaptation for specific cultural and linguistic contexts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate and psychometrically evaluate the Polish version of the Sleep Disorders Scale for Children (SDSC).
- To assess the reliability and effectiveness of the SDSC for use in Polish school-aged children and adolescents.
Main Methods:
- A randomly selected sample of 348 children (ages 6-15) from various educational settings in Poland participated.
- Parents completed the SDSC and a sociodemographic survey.
- Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and inter-domain correlations (Spearman's rho) were analyzed.
Main Results:
- The Polish SDSC demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.9) and acceptable subscale reliability (0.69–0.83).
- 18.68% of participants exhibited at least one sleep disorder (T-score > 70).
- Common disorders included sleep hyperhidrosis (7.47%), disorders of excessive somnolence (7.18%), and sleep-wake transition disorders (5.75%).
Conclusions:
- The Polish version of the SDSC is a reliable and effective instrument for evaluating sleep disturbances in children and adolescents.
- The findings support the use of the SDSC for screening and identifying sleep problems in the Polish pediatric population.
- Specific sleep disorders were identified, with variations noted across different educational levels.
Abstract:
Background/Objectives: In this study, we aimed to validate and psychometrically evaluate a tool for examining sleep disorders in Polish children. Methods: This study involved a randomly selected sample of 348 children aged 6 to 15 years, sourced from preschools, primary schools, and secondary schools in a city with a population exceeding 100,000, in addition to two smaller towns in Poland. Parents were asked to complete the Sleep Disorders Scale for Children (SDSC) in conjunction with a sociodemographic survey. The tool's reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha (α), and correlations among various domains were evaluated using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (Rs). Results: The study demonstrated excellent internal consistency for the SDSC, with a Cronbach's α value of 0.9. The individual subscales also exhibited acceptable reliability values, ranging from 0.69 to 0.83. Considering T-scores over 70 as indicative of a problem, we identified at least one sleep disorder in 65 participants (18.68%). The most common issues included sleep hyperhidrosis (SHY; 7.47%), disorders of excessive somnolence (DOES; 7.18%), and sleep-wake transition disorders (SWTDs; 5.75%). Students in secondary education were more likely to experience disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS), disorders of arousal (DA), and DOES. Conclusions: Based on our findings, the Polish version of the SDSC may be considered a reliable and effective tool for assessing sleep disturbances in school-age children and adolescents.
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