Psychometric validation of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale for Children and Adolescents (ESS-CHAD) in Slovenia : implications for public health research and practice : research data underlying the article

Mlakar, Ajda (author), Gril Rogina, Kaja (author), Šmigoc, Matic (author), Kukec, Andreja (author), Gnidovec Stražišar, Barbara (author)

Introduction: The aim of this study was to provide a suitable instrument for the assessment of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in Slovenian children and adolescents by translating the ESS-CHAD and psychometrically validating its Slovenian version (ESS-CHAD-SI). Methods: The ESS-CHAD was translated and back-translated following established cross-cultural adaptation guidelines, and content validity was assessed by eleven experts from relevant clinical and research disciplines. A nationwide sample of 3,314 adolescents (≈52% females), with an overall mean age of 15.4 $±$ 1.7 years, completed the questionnaire. Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s α and Guttman’s λ2, and construct validity was examined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Results: All items met the predefined thresholds for content relevance, while clarity indices were acceptable for the majority of items. Factor analyses indicated that a two-factor model provided a better fit to the data than the original unidimensional structure, distinguishing between passive sleepiness and more clinically concerning manifestations of sleepiness. The ESS-CHAD-SI demonstrated adequate internal consistency. Conclusions: The ESS-CHAD-SI is a reliable, valid, and culturally adapted instrument for assessing excessive daytime sleepiness in Slovenian adolescents. The identified two-factor structure enhances its clinical and public health relevance by enabling differentiation between sleepiness related to modifiable sleep behaviors and potentially pathological somnolence. The scale is suitable for use in school-based screening, clinical practice, and epidemiological research.

• Language: English
• Keywords: excessive daytime sleepiness, questionnaires, validation, adolescents, Slovenia
• Typology: 2.20 - Complete scientific database of research data
• Geographic coverage: This dataset contains anonymized questionnaire data collected as part of a nationwide psychometric validation study of the Slovenian version of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale for Children and Adolescents (ESS-CHAD-SI)
• Temporal coverage: From January to March 2024
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Year: 2026
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177973
• COBISS.SI-ID: 271086083
• Data col. methods: Self-completed questionnaire: Paper/pencil
• Publication date in RUL: 15.01.2026

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 14.01.2026

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Psihometrična validacija Epworthove lestvice zaspanosti za otroke in mladostnike (ESS-CHAD) v Sloveniji : praktične implikacije v raziskovalnem in kliničnem okolju : raziskovalni podatki, obravnavani v članku

Abstract

Uvod: Namen študije je bil zagotoviti ustrezen instrument za ocenjevanje čezmerne dnevne zaspanosti (EDS) pri slovenskih otrocih in mladostnikih s prevodom vprašalnika ESS-CHAD ter psihometrično validacijo njegove slovenske različice (ESS-CHAD-SI). Metode: Vprašalnik ESS-CHAD je bil preveden in vzvratno preveden v skladu z uveljavljenimi smernicami za kulturno adaptacijo, vsebinsko veljavnost pa je ocenilo enajst strokovnjakov z različnih kliničnih in raziskovalnih področij. V nacionalni raziskavi je sodelovalo 3314 mladostnikov (≈ 52 % deklet), s povprečno starostjo 15,4 $±$ 1,7 let. Zanesljivost je bila ocenjena s koeficientoma Cronbach α in Guttman λ2, konstruktna veljavnost pa z eksploratorno in konfirmatorno faktorsko analizo. Rezultati: Vse postavke so dosegle vnaprej določene pragove vsebinske relevantnosti, medtem ko so bili indeksi jasnosti za večino postavk sprejemljivi. Faktorska analiza je pokazala, da se dvofaktorski model bolje prilega podatkom kot izvirna enodimenzionalna struktura, pri čemer loči med pasivno zaspanostjo in klinično bolj zaskrbljujočimi oblikami somnolence. Vprašalnik ESS-CHAD-SI se je izkazal za ustrezno notranje skladnega. Zaključki: ESS-CHAD-SI je zanesljiv, veljaven in kulturno prilagojen instrument za ocenjevanje čezmerne dnevne zaspanosti pri slovenskih mladostnikih. Ugotovljena dvofaktorska struktura povečuje njegovo klinično in javnozdravstveno uporabnost, saj omogoča razlikovanje med zaspanostjo, povezano s spremenljivimi vedenjskimi vzorci spanja, in potencialno patološko somnolenco. Lestvica je primerna za uporabo v šolskih presejalnih programih, klinični praksi in epidemioloških raziskavah.

• Keywords: čezmerna dnevna zaspanost, vprašalniki, validacija, mladostniki, Slovenija

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P3-0429
• Name: Slovenski raziskovalni program za celostno obravnavo raka SLORApro
• Acronym: SLORApro