Psychometric Evaluation of an Arabic Language Version of the Geriatric Sleep Questionnaire-6 Items (GSQ-6) in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Assessing sleep quality and patterns in later life is essential for accurately diagnosing and effectively treating sleep problems and their associated consequences. The Geriatric Sleep Questionnaire-6 (GSQ-6) is a widely used self-report questionnaire that assesses sleep quality and disturbances specifically among older adults. This study aimed to translate the scale into Arabic and evaluate its psychometric properties in an older Arabic-speaking adults' population. METHODS: The GSQ-6 was translated into Arabic using forward and backward translation procedures, and was administered to a convenience sample of 539 older adults. RESULTS: The CFA results supported the unidimensional factor structure proposed by the developers. The McDonald's omega value was of 0.70, indicating acceptable internal consistency. The measurement model had an equivalent factor structure across sex. GSQ-6 scores correlated negatively with quality of life and resilience, and positively with neglect and abuse scores, supporting the validity of our Arabic translation. CONCLUSIONS: The Arabic GSQ-6 demonstrated good psychometric properties. The findings support its use as a valid and reliable measure for evaluating sleep quality among the Arabic-speaking older adult population. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The Arabic GSQ-6 now provides clinicians with an evidence-based means of incorporating routine sleep quality evaluation as part of their patient assessments.