Factor Structure and Reliability of the Persian Version of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Abstract

Objectives: Sleep disturbance is a common difficulty in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that can affect daily functioning and quality of life. However, the assessment and intervention of this issue are less noticed by therapists. This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) in children with ASD, including content validity, factor analysis, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability.

Materials & methods: In this descriptive and cross-sectional study, 306 parents of 4- to 10-year-old children with ASD were selected by convenience sampling from Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, Hamedan, Tabriz, Ahvaz, and Bukan, Iran. They answered the Persian version of the CSHQ. The Content Validity Index (CVI) and ratio were assessed based on the opinions of 11 ASD experts. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used for internal consistency, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated for test-retest reliability. Data were analyzed using LISREL 88 and SPSS 26.

Results: The CVI (0.81-1) and ratio (0.63-1) showed the necessity of all items. The acceptable confirmatory factor analysis results (RMSEA = 0.74; P < 0.001; Chi-Square =596.85; df = 224) confirmed the model obtained. The Cronbach's alpha for the subscales (0.43-0.79) and in total (0.83) showed homogeneity of the items. The intraclass correlation coefficient (0.90 in total and 0.82-0.91 for the subscales) demonstrated acceptable test-retest reliability.

Conclusion: The Persian version of CSHQ in children with ASD has acceptable validity and reliability and can be used by autism therapists as a suitable tool in research and clinical practice.