Turkish Adaptation of a Sleep Screening Tool for Pediatric Complex Chronic Conditions

This multi-phase, prospective observational study is designed to evaluate sleep disturbances among children with complex chronic conditions (CCCs), focusing on both the hospital period-specifically pediatric intensive care units (PICUs)-and the post-discharge transition to home. The study incorporates both subjective (questionnaire-based) and objective (actigraphy-based) assessments and integrates a family-centered, developmentally appropriate, and biopsychosocial framework. The first phase involves the cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the "Sleep Screening Tool for Children and Adolescents with Complex Chronic Conditions (SCAC)" into Turkish. This includes forward and backward translation, expert panel review, cognitive interviews with caregivers, and a pilot study. Validity (via exploratory factor analysis using principal components analysis with varimax rotation) and internal consistency (via Cronbach's alpha) will be tested. Test-retest reliability will be evaluated by re-administering the scale one month after discharge to 50 participants. In the second phase, children admitted to one of the largest tertiary PICU in Türkiye will be recruited. During hospitalization, sleep-wake patterns will be continuously monitored using actigraphy, while environmental factors including noise and light exposure will be recorded using calibrated sensors placed at the bedside. Nurses will assist with administering tools and maintaining logs. Additional clinical variables such as medications, nighttime interventions, pain scores, and disease severity will also be recorded. The study setting enables inclusion of a high-volume and diverse pediatric population. Following discharge, longitudinal follow-up will be conducted using the SCAC tool and sleep diaries at four time points: Day 15, Month 1, Month 2, and Month 3. Parental consent will include approval for follow-up via telephone and SMS reminders. One nurse-researcher will conduct structured phone interviews and provide diary reminders. Post-discharge sleep recovery will be evaluated based on comparison to PICU scores and pre-hospital baseline sleep as reported by parents. This study is the first in Türkiye, to adapt and validate a sleep screening scale specifically designed for CCC. This research not only focuses on scale development but also aims to generate scientific data that could inform environmental improvements in hospital settings.