Validity and Reliability of a Self-Report Likert-Type Measure of Nightmare Frequency
Abstract
Background and Objective: Nightmare frequency is typically measured using interval and ordinal, but rarely Likert-type, scales. The current study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of a Likert-type measure of retrospective nightmare frequency.
Materials and Methods: Participants included a convenience sample of undergraduate students. They completed a recent-ly developed Likert-type nightmare frequency item, an established Nightmare Frequency Scale, an estimate of nightmare frequency over the past week, and measures of hypothetically related variables including neuroticism, psychological dis-tress, and trauma symptoms. Convergent and discriminant validity was evaluated through relationships between the Likert-type nightmare frequency item with other nightmare measures and hypothetically related variables. Reliability was esti-mated using a correction for attenuation approach designed to provide a conservative estimate of single-item reliability.
Results: The sample included 233 (119 female, 51.1%; 114 male, 48.9%) university students (mean age: 19.05 ± 1.91). The average convergent validity coefficient between the Likert-type nightmare frequency item and other nightmare measures (r = 0.647) was significantly different (z = 5.45, P < 0.001) from its average correlation coefficient with hypo-thetically related measures (r = 0.256). The single-item reliability coefficient was 0.722.
Conclusion: The reliability and convergent and discriminant validity of the Likert-type nightmare frequency item were supported.
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| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 7 No 3-4 (2022): Summer-Autumn | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/jss.v7i(3-4).15249 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Nightmares; Dreams; Sleep; Psychometrics | ||
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