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. 2023 Jul 6;16(2):183-196.
doi: 10.1055/s-0043-1770803. eCollection 2023 Jun.

Sleep Assessment in Competitive Athletes: Development and Validation of French Versions of the Athens Insomnia Scale and the Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire

Diane Baize  1 , Stéphanie Meriaux-Scoffier  1 , Aurélia Chrétien  1 , Meggy Hayotte  1 , Enzo Piponnier  1 , Fabienne d'Arripe-Longueville  1
Affiliations

Sleep Assessment in Competitive Athletes: Development and Validation of French Versions of the Athens Insomnia Scale and the Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire

Diane Baize et al. Sleep Sci. .

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this study was to develop and validate French versions of two questionnaires assessing competitive athletes' sleep: the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS-FR) and the Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire (ASBQ-FR). Methods Four complementary studies were carried out, with a total sample of 296 French competitive athletes from different sports and expertise levels. The studies aimed to develop preliminary versions of the AIS-FR and the ASBQ-FR (study 1), and then to examine their respective dimensionality and reliability (study 2), temporal stability (study 3), and concurrent validity (study 4). The dimensionality was established using confirmatory factor analysis. Similar and correlated psychological factor scales were used to examine the concurrent validity (the Insomnia Severity Index, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule). Results The AIS-FR consists of eight items with two subfactors: nocturnal symptoms and diurnal symptoms, assessed by a uniformized 4-point Likert-type scale. The ASBQ-FR is composed of 15 items with three subfactors, which differs from the original English version: behaviors affecting sleep, behaviors related to anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Due to the Covid context and curfews, three items of the original scale were excluded from the statistical analyses because non-applicable. Both scales presented satisfactory psychometric properties. Discussion The AIS-FR and ASBQ-FR appear to be valid and reliable tools that can be used with competitive athletes for everyday training and research purposes. An ASBQ-FR version that includes the three excluded items should undergo validation testing once pandemic restrictions are eased.

Keywords: Athletes; Sleep; Sleep Hygiene; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Sports; Surveys and Questionnaires.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest None declared.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Study samples. AIS-FR: French version of the Athens Insomnia Scale; PSQI: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Four-step confirmatory factorial analysis method applied to the AIS-FR. formula image : correlations between latent factors; formula image : factor loading; NoctAIS Ni: item formula image of the nocturnal symptoms factor of the AIS; DiuAIS Nj: item formula image of the diurnal symptoms factor of the AIS64
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Model of the confirmatory factor analysis of the AIS-FR. formula image  = correlations between latent factors or error terms; formula image λ = factor loading; Err Ni: error terms of the item formula image ; *: significant (p < .05); †: items fixed to 1.0
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Confirmatory factor analysis of the ASBQ-FR. formula image  = correlations between latent factors; formula image  = factor loading; *: significant (p < .05); †: items fixed to 1.0; Q Ni: item formula image of the AIS-FR (Q3, Q17 and Q18 have been removed); Err Ni: error terms of the corresponding item formula image ; Factor 1: behaviors affecting sleep; Factor 2: behaviors linked to anxiety; Factor 3: sleep disturbances
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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