Systematic review of the Pittsburgh sleep quality index used for measuring sleep quality among adults with trauma experiences

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review articles that used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scale to measure sleep quality among adults with trauma experiences. Methods: Databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane, Medline, Google Scholar, Riss, NDSL, and reference data were searched systematically for relevant studies from July 5 to 6, 2018. A quality assessment was conducted using the COSMIN (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments) risk of bias checklist, including content validity, structural validity, internal consistency, reliability, measurement error, hypotheses testing, cross-cultural validity, criterion validity, and responsiveness. Results: Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. All selected studies confirmed the overall quality of sleep by total score, but only 28.6% of the papers presented subscales. The quality of the methodology used varied within and between studies. Internal consistency of 21.5%, cross-cultural validity of 7.1%, and criterion validity of 14.2% were all evaluated as sufficient (+). Reliability and measurement errors were not presented in selected studies. Conclusion: Our findings revealed that overall quality of sleep was measured by analyzing the characteristics and measurement attributes of the PSQI. However, as a result of the varying purposes of each study, the full potential of the tool could not be optimized. Future research should assess the attributes of the PSQI based on the content specified in the COSMIN evaluation standard, using it carefully to consider the target population's socio-cultural characteristics.