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Validation of the German version of the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ) and associations with infant
Carolin Konrad1, Silvia Schneider2, Sabine Seehagen3
1Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany.
Insights
The German Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ) is validated for assessing infant sleep problems. This tool helps identify sleep issues early, supporting infant development and parental well-being.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Developmental Psychology
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Infant sleep problems are prevalent, impacting development and parental well-being.
- Early identification of sleep issues is crucial for timely intervention.
- The Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ) is a widely used tool, but a German version lacked validation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the German version of the BISQ.
- To assess its ability to capture age-related sleep changes.
- To determine if it differentiates infants with and without sleep problems.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of 562 infants (6-24 months) from seven samples.
- Caregiver completion of the German BISQ.
- Correlations with developmental assessments (Ages and Stages Questionnaires) and actigraphy data.
Main Results:
- The German BISQ demonstrated age-related sleep changes.
- BISQ measures correlated moderately with actigraphy for sleep duration and night waking.
- Sleep location predicted BISQ measures, with solitary sleep showing better outcomes.
- Daytime sleep and sleep onset latency associated with gross motor development; nocturnal sleep duration negatively associated.
Conclusions:
- The German BISQ is a valid and efficient instrument for infant sleep assessment.
- Findings support its use in clinical and research settings in German-speaking populations.
Background And Objectives:
Sleep problems such as prolonged night waking and difficulty falling asleep are common in infants. Sleep problems can affect development and put parents at risk of sleep deprivation, potentially leading to stress and burnout. It is therefore important to identify sleep problems early to facilitate targeted intervention and support. The Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ) developed by Sadeh (2004) is a widely used tool to identify and describe sleep behavior. However, a validated German translation is still missing. The main aim was to validate the German version of the BISQ by evaluating whether it captures age-related changes in sleep behavior whether it can distinguish between infants with and without sleep problems similarly to the original version.
Methods:
We validated the German version of the BISQ by secondary analyses including N = 562 infants aged 6 to 24 months from seven independent samples and examined relations to infant development. Caregivers completed the German version of the BISQ. Additionally, parents in a subset of samples completed the Ages and Stages Questionnaires to assess developmental progress. To validate the BISQ against an objective measure, infants in three of the samples wore an actiwatch for a single night.
Results:
Results showed age-related changes in sleep measures as assessed by the BISQ. Significant moderate correlations emerged between caregiver-reported night sleep duration and night wakings and one night of actigraphy. Additionally, BISQ sleep measures differed between infants whose parents reported a sleep problem and those who did not. The infant's sleep location (in own vs. shared bed) was a significant predictor of BISQ measures. Infants who slept alone in a separate room had more favorable sleep measures than infants who slept in the parent's room or the parent's bed. Daytime sleep duration and the time taken to fall asleep at night were positively associated with gross motor development, whereas nocturnal sleep duration was negatively associated.
Conclusion:
Our findings suggest that the German BISQ is a valid, quick-to-administer instrument for assessing infant sleep.
