Background: Sleep disorders are one of the most discussed topics in scientific literature every year. Although they are one of the most studied topics, in both adults and children, knowledge of sleep disorders and their treatment is still not completely clear, and there is a need to deepen and analyze these disorders on a country-by-country basis. However, research in the Italian literature reveals a scarce quantity of tools to evaluate sleep quality in children. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is probably the most commonly used retrospective self-assessment questionnaire in the adult population. Purpose: We aimed to validate and analyze the psychometric characteristics of this tool in order to detect and explore the presence of sleep disorders in a healthy Italian population of children throughout the country. Methods: Individuals aged between 3 and 16 years without symptoms of insomnia were included in this study. The reliability and construct validity of the PSQI were assessed according to Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) guidelines. Results: We enrolled 222 individuals in this study (mean age 11 years). The PSQI demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.719). Test–retest reliability was assessed on a randomized subgroup of the sample (n = 35). The PSQI showed good test–retest reliability with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.829 for the total score (95% confidence interval: 0.662–0.914). The Pearson correlation coefficient, used for construct validity, showed a statistically significant positive correlation with the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC). Conclusion: The PSQI proved to be a very reliable and valid tool to investigate sleep experiences in children.

Sleep disorders in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are well-described. However, there is a lack of specific assessment tools to investigate sleep disturbance in this target population. The present investigation reports the Italian validation of the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) in the ASD population, also investigating the correlation between sleep disorders In both children and parents. Internal consistency and test–retest reliability were investigated using Cronbach’s alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), respectively. Concurrent validity was analyzed by comparing the score of the SDSC with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), while the correlation between the SDCS score and the General Sleep Disturbance Scale (GSDS) was used to analyze the correlation between sleep disorders in children and sleep disorders in their parents. In total, 99 children with a diagnosis of ASD participated in the study. Cronbach’s alpha revealed satisfactory value (0.853), as well as reliability (ICC 0.972) and concurrent validity (0.745). Our results also revealed a significant linear correlation between children’s and parents’ sleep disorders (p < 0.05). In conclusion, we found the SDSC to be a useful tool for measuring sleep disorders in ASD children. Our findings offer concrete inputs to achieve adequate pathways for taking care of children with ASDs and their parents.

PURPOSE: Down Syndrome (DS) is a common genetic disorder caused by trisomy 21. Due to cognitive challenges associated with DS, individuals often experience difficulty performing activities of daily living (ADLs), at levels that can range from mild to significant. This study aimed to measure psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI-I) in the DS population. METHODS: The PEDI-I was administered to children with DS. The internal consistency was examined using Cronbach’s Alpha. Test-retest reliability was demonstrated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland–Altman plots. The concurrent validity was evaluated with the Italian version of the Barthel Index. RESULTS: The PEDI-I was administered to 54 children with DS. Cronbach’s Alpha showed statistically significant values (0.899 –0.986). The ICC confirmed the reproducibility of the scale with a range of (0.988 –1), while Bland-Altman plots showed a smallest detectable change of (0.18–1.63). The Pearson Correlation Coefficient with the Barthel Index showed statistically significant values for all PEDI-I subscales (range 0.75–0.95). CONCLUSION: The study provides evidence of good test-retest reliability and convergent validity when used in children with DS. Other psychometric proprieties need to be investigated in future studies.