Sleep preoccupation in poor sleepers: Psychometric properties of the sleep Preoccupation Scale

ObjectivesDespite daytime factors being implicated as having a key perpetuating role in many of the recent cognitive models of sleep disturbance, standardized, validated measures of sleep-related daytime processing are rare. The aim of the present studies was to develop, refine, and psychometrically evaluate the Sleep Preoccupation Scale (SPS), a self-report tool that examines levels of daytime sleep-related processing.MethodsThe SPS is constructed using a quantitative content analysis of responses from a survey of older adults (n=116). The scale is then refined using principal components analysis on a general population sample (n=456), and finally, the convergent validity is examined in a general population sample (n=722).ResultsThe results suggest the SPS is a reliable and valid measure of sleep-related daytime processing and discriminates different sleeper groups (poor, average, and good sleepers).ConclusionThe findings are related to the models of poor sleep and, in particular, insomnia, and future directions are discussed.