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. (Contains 2 figures and 4 tables.)