Brief Description
The SDS-CL-25 (Sleep Disorders Symptom Checklist) is a self-administered assessment tool designed to evaluate symptoms related to sleep disorders and their impact on daily functioning. The instrument addresses 13 different sleep disorders, including insomnia (initial, middle, and late), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), restless leg syndrome (RLS), narcolepsy, and parasomnias, such as nightmare disorder. In addition to the disorders, the tool evaluates four functional outcomes of sleep: night-to-night variability, daytime dysfunction, fatigue, and overall sleep-related impairment. Patients are asked to respond to how frequently they experienced each symptom over the past three months using a five-point scale, ranging from "Never" to ">5 times a week." For example, one question might ask how often it takes the patient 30 minutes or more to fall asleep, with response options such as "1–3 times a week.” Positive screenings for sleep disorders on the SDS-CL-25 may indicate the necessity for follow-up screening and treatment.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report
Number of questions
25
Age Range for Administration
18+
Recommended Frequency of Administration
The SDS-CL-25 was developed to be given one time as a screening tool when a sleep disorder is first suspected.
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
Scoring the SDS-CL-25 involves summing responses to identify the presence and severity of sleep disorders and their functional impacts. With respect to overall morbidity, all 25 items responses are summed, with a resulting range of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater morbidity. Higher frequency responses indicate more severe or chronic symptoms, helping clinicians pinpoint specific areas of concern. Symptoms that are endorsed for three or more days per week (i.e., scores of 3 or 4) suggest the likely presence of sleep disorder(s) and/or the need for follow-up.
Sleep disorders are screened as follows:
Assessment | Items |
Insomnia Disorder | (3 or 4 or 5) + (6 or 9 or 25). 17 may also be highly endorsed |
Advanced sleep phase syndrome | 7 + 5 + (6 or 9 or 25) |
Delayed sleep phase syndrome | 8 + 3 + (6 or 9 or 25) |
Obstructive sleep apnea | 10 - 14+ (6 or 9 or 25) |
Restless legs syndrome | 15 - 17 + (6 or 9 or 25) |
Narcolepsy | 18 - 20 + 9 (also 6 or 25) |
Nightmare disorder | 21 + 25 |
Night terror disorder | 22 |
REM Sleep behavior disorder | 23 |
Sleep-related TMJ | 24 |
Excessive daytime sleepiness non-specific | 9 |
Fatigue | 6 |
Blueprint Adjustments
Blueprint only produces the total score for this measure. Given current limitations to scoring, the platform does not produce the distinct sleep disorder domain scores described above.
Header questions are not included in the Blueprint assessment due to limitations in including write-in options in scoring procedures. These questions include age, sex, height, and weight, H1: work shift, H2: hours worked per week, H3: presence of bed partner, H4: amount of sleep each night, H5: amount of time in bed each night. These questions are used to screen and score sleep insufficiency disorder and shift work sleep disorder.
Clinical Considerations
Estimated time for completion: 6-10 minutes
The SDS-25 serves as a brief screening tool to quickly identify possible sleep disorders. It is not diagnostic, but a high score in a particular domain can guide clinicians toward more specific assessments or refer the patient to a sleep specialist.
The checklist provides symptom patterns, but a detailed history of sleep habits, lifestyle factors, medical conditions, and medications should also be gathered to provide a full clinical picture.
Citation
Relevant Articles + Further Resources
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