Brief Description
The Dysfunctional Beliefs about Sleep Scale - short version (DBAS-16) is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess beliefs, attitudes, and misconceptions about sleep that may contribute to insomnia. It consists of 16 items that measure various cognitive distortions related to sleep, such as unrealistic expectations, misattributions about insomnia, and concerns about the consequences of poor sleep. An example item is, “I am worried that I may lose control over my ability to sleep.” Respondents rate their level of agreement with each statement using a 0 to 10 scale, where 0 indicates "Strongly disagree," and 10 indicates "Strongly agree." The DBAS-16 is primarily used in clinical and research settings to identify cognitive patterns that may perpetuate insomnia, and it can guide cognitive-behavioral interventions aimed at modifying these dysfunctional beliefs.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report
Number of questions
16
Age Range for Administration
18+
Recommended Frequency of Administration
No recommended standard frequency; Blueprint recommends weekly.
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
Scoring the DBAS-16 involves calculating an average score across all 16 items. Each item is scored from 0 to 10. The total score is obtained by adding the responses for all items and then dividing by 16 to produce an average score. Higher scores indicate more dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep, with no specific cut-off score for clinical significance.
Blueprint Adjustments
N/A
Clinical Considerations
Estimated time for completion: 4-8 minutes
While there are no definitive right or wrong answers for individual items, the level of dysfunction is indicated by the extent to which patients endorse each statement. For example, one of the items on the measure is “ I need 8 hours of sleep to feel refreshed and function well during the day.” Believing that 8 hours of sleep is necessary to function well may be accurate for many people, but an overly strong belief in this can lead to anxiety if this condition isn’t met, potentially fueling insomnia. As such, the results are measured based on the intensity of the beliefs endorsed.
The DBAS-16 is commonly used for individuals with insomnia or other sleep disturbances. However, it may also be useful for populations with comorbid conditions such as anxiety, depression, or chronic pain, where dysfunctional sleep beliefs might exacerbate symptoms.
High scores on the DBAS-16 could suggest a need for more intensive cognitive restructuring during treatment, particularly if the patient holds strong, maladaptive beliefs about sleep.