Advances in Nursing & Midwifery

Abstract

Background: Sleep disorders are common in preschool children and are associated with adverse neurocognitive and behavioral outcomes. Accurate assessment of these disorders requires valid and reliable psychometric instruments, such as the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC). This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the SDSC in Iranian preschool children.

Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 on 259 children aged 5–6 years in Gorgan, Iran. The translation process included forward–backward translation and conceptual adaptation. Face validity was assessed through parental feedback and item analysis. Content validity was evaluated using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR), Item-Level Content Validity Index (I-CVI), and expert agreement. Construct validity was examined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), test–retest reliability, standard error of measurement (SEM), and minimal detectable change (MDC). Questionnaire scores were normalized to a 0–100 scale.

Results: All items were found to be clear and comprehensible. Content validity indices were acceptable (S-CVI/Ave = 0.71). Exploratory factor analysis identified five main factors: disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep, sleep-related movement disorders, sleep-disordered breathing, arousal disorders, and excessive daytime sleepiness, explaining 69.19% of the total variance. The overall reliability of the questionnaire was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.902; ICC = 0.872). SEM, MDC, and MIC values indicated high measurement precision and sensitivity to real change, and no floor or ceiling effects were observed.

Conclusion: The Persian version of the SDSC demonstrated satisfactory validity and reliability for assessing sleep disturbances in preschool children. It can be used as a reliable screening and assessment tool in clinical and epidemiological studies. Study limitations include sampling from a single geographic area and reliance on parent-reported data.