The views on infant sleep questionnaire: A confirmatory factor analysis in an Australian context

Parental beliefs about infant sleep shape caregiving practices, infant development, and parental wellbeing. The Views oN Infant Sleep (VNIS) questionnaire was designed to assess these beliefs across three domains: Closeness, Independence, and Night-Waking. This study aimed to validate the questionnaire for the first time in an Australian context, in a sample of 111 pregnant women.

Women completed an anonymous online questionnaire containing the 12-item VNIS. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted in MPlus, using a weighted least squares estimator to evaluate the proposed three-factor structure.

Findings provided partial support for the three-factor model. Incremental and residual fit indices were strong (comparative fit index = 0.97; Tucker-Lewis index = 0.96; weighted root mean square residual = 0.76) and the chi-square to degrees-of-freedom ratio indicated acceptable fit (1.75). Global fit was borderline (root mean square error of approximation = 0.08, 90% confidence interval = 0.05-0.11). All items loaded significantly onto their intended factors, however item performance varied. Independence items showed consistently strong loadings, while Closeness items ranged from moderate to strong with one weaker indicator. Night-Waking items were more variable, including one item below acceptable thresholds. Inter-factor correlations were strong (r = 0.58-0.71), indicating substantial coherence and limited distinctiveness between components.

The VNIS questionnaire captures multidimensional parental beliefs about infant sleep but requires refinement to strengthen reliability and discriminant validity. Further cross-cultural and longitudinal research is needed to support its broader applicability in diverse clinical and research contexts including to fathers and non-birthing partners.