Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Athens insomnia scale for non-clinical application in Chinese athletes

Abstract

PurposeThis study aimed to revise and examine the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Athens Insomnia Scale for Non-clinical Application (AIS-NCA) among Chinese athletes. Additionally, the study tested the scale in non-athlete individuals with similar sleep management practices to further analyze its cultural specificity among Chinese athletes and make preliminary inferences about its applicability in other Chinese populations.MethodsFour hundred twenty-six Chinese professional athletes and 779 high school students participated in this research. Both athletes and students were divided into two parallel groups for exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Additionally, three athlete samples and one student sample were established for reliability and validity assessments. Among athletes, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, the Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire, and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale were employed to evaluate convergent and discriminant validity. Re-test reliability was evaluated at intervals of 1 and 2 weeks. In the case of students, convergent and discriminant validity were tested using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the General Self-Efficacy Scale, with re-test reliability assessed at two-week intervals.ResultsThe Chinese version of the AIS-NCA consists of six items, categorized into two dimensions: sleep problems and daytime functioning. This structure explained 65.08% (athletes) and 66.22% (students) of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed good model fit, with values of χ2/df = 2.217, CFI = 0.975, AGFI = 0.929, TLI = 0.953, and RMSEA = 0.076 among athletes, and χ2/df = 3.037, CFI = 0.979, AGFI = 0.947, TLI = 0.961, and RMSEA = 0.072 among students. The scale demonstrated a reasonable degree of measurement invariance. The overall scale and two subscales exhibited strong reliability and validity among athletes. Similar results in terms of reliability and validity were also observed within the student sample.ConclusionThe Chinese version of the AIS-NCA shows promise as an assessment tool for evaluating the sleep quality of Chinese athletes. It effectively captures both sleep-related concerns and daytime functionality within the athlete population. The scale demonstrates solid reliability and validity in professional athletes and holds potential for application across various other demographic groups in China.

The Limitations of Using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index to Assess Athletes’ Sleep Quality: Evidence from Reliability and Validity in Chinese Professional Athletes

“…Previous research on the validation of sleep quality assessment tools not intended for clinical use has indicated potential cultural differences in the scale’s factor structure, particularly regarding the perception of sleep quality. 35 Future studies should further consider these cultural influences. Secondly, this study treated Chinese athletes as a homogeneous group.…”

“…The Chinese version of ASSQ has been revised and validated among Chinese athletes and applied in research involving Chinese athletes. 34 , 35 …”

Anxiety and Insomnia Mediate the Association of Fear of Infection and Fatigue: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Nurses Deployed to a COVID-19 Epicenter in China

“…34 Its Chinese version (ISI-C) had been validated. 35 The ISI-C contains seven items, measuring difficulty in falling asleep, difficulty in maintaining sleep, early awakening to fall asleep, dissatisfaction with sleep, impact of sleep on daytime functioning, the degree to which quality of life is affected by sleep problems, and the degree to which one worries about sleep problems, respectively. Respondents were asked to rate each item on a five-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very serious).…”