Pediatric Sleep Disorders: Validation of the Sleep Disorders Inventory for Students

Approximately 20%–25% of the pediatric population will likely develop a sleep disorder sometime during childhood or adolescence. Studies have shown that untreated sleep disorders can negatively affect cognitive abilities, and academic and behavior performance. The Sleep Disorders Inventory for Students (SDIS) is a screening instrument designed to be used by school psychologists to determine if problems related to sleep may be affecting a student’s educational performance. The SDIS was validated on 821 students in the southeastern United States and seven sleep centers nationally. This study presents the development of both forms of the SDIS, the SDIS—Children’s Form and the SDIS—Adolescent Form, as well as the empirical data to support the reliability of the scores and the validity of the inferences. Practical implications for the use of the SDIS are discussed, and suggestions for future research related to the screening of pediatric sleep disorders are presented. Most professionals working with children and adolescents have limited awareness of pediatric sleep disorders and the growing amount of medical research demonstrating the significant effect these disorders can have on students’ cognition, achievement, and behaviors (Friedman, Hendeles-Amitai, & Kozminsky, 2003; Gozal, 1998; Montgomery-Downs, Crabtree, & Gozal, 2005; Taras & PottsDatema, 2005). Results of a 1999 epidemiologic study suggested that 20%–25% of the pediatric population will develop a sleep disorder sometime in their childhood or adolescence (Mindell, Owens, & Carskadon, 1999). Special appreciation is extended to the following individuals and hospitals for their contributions to this research. Expert test review panel: Christine Acebo, PhD; W. McDowell Anderson, MD; Rosa AssingTucker, PhD; Mary A. Carskadon, PhD; Madabi Chatterji, PhD; Gahan Fallone, PhD; William C. Kohler, MD; Debra Rose, PhD; Amy Wolfson, PhD. Sleep centers, sleep specialists, and school district: All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, Florida—Juan Martinez, MD; Carle Regional Sleep Disorders Center, Urbana, Illinois—Daniel Picchietti, MD; Miami Children’s Hospital Sleep Disorders Center, Miami, Florida—Marcel Deray, MD; Stanford Sleep Disorders Center and Stanford University Center for Narcolepsy, Stanford, California—Rafael Pelayo, MD, and Emmanuel Mignot, MD, PhD; Tampa General Hospital Sleep Disorders Center, Tampa, Florida—W. McDowell Anderson, MD; The Johns Hopkins Pediatric Sleep Center, Baltimore, Maryland—Ann Halbower, MD; The Tampa Sleep Center at University Community Hospital, Tampa, Florida—William Kohler, MD.; Pasco County, Florida, school district and school psychologists. Correspondence regarding this article should be addressed to Marsha Luginbuehl, Child Uplift, Inc., P. O. Box 146, Fairview, WY 83119; E-mail: [email protected] Copyright 2008 by the National Association of School Psychologists, ISSN 0279-6015 School Psychology Review, 2008, Volume 37, No. 3, pp. 409–431