The Arabic version of the sleep hygiene index: Linguistic validation and cultural adaptation among University students in Qatar

Introduction: Sleep is necessary for maintaining adequate health and well-being. However, several behavioral and environmental factors, known as sleep hygiene, could affect sleep quality, contributing to the development of insomnia. Instruments to measure sleep hygiene such as the sleep hygiene index (SHI) have been developed, but only a few are available in the Arabic language. Therefore, this study was designed to translate and culturally adapt the SHI from English to Arabic. Methods: The SHI was translated from English to Arabic using the forward–backward translation method recommended by the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research guidelines. Nine Arabic-speaking individuals of diverse educational and cultural backgrounds reviewed the Arabic SHI. The internal consistency reliability of the items contained in the Arabic SHI was determined. Results: The SHI was successfully translated and culturally adapted into the Arabic language. Minimal changes in the wording of some questions were required to ensure the cultural adaptability of the instrument. The Arabic version of the SHI was found to be simple, clear, and brief as reported by the participants during cognitive debriefing. The Arabic SHI has moderate internal consistency reliability with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.589. Conclusion: The Arabic SHI is a brief and easy-to-understand instrument for assessing sleep hygiene practices and behavior in Arabic-speaking population. Further assessment of the psychometric properties of the Arabic SHI is necessary to ensure the validity of this instrument in different populations.