Usability of the Richards-Campbell sleep questionnaire in individuals with schizophrenia living in the community.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbances are common in individuals with schizophrenia and are closely associated with functional outcomes and quality of life. Reliable and feasible tools for assessing subjective sleep quality are essential in community-based psychiatric settings. Although the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (RCSQ) is widely used in medical populations, its psychometric properties in schizophrenia remain insufficiently examined. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the internal consistency and convergent validity of the RCSQ in a community-dwelling sample of individuals with schizophrenia in Turkey. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 84 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia living in the community in Turkey. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Convergent validity was examined by analyzing the correlation between RCSQ total scores and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global score. RESULTS: The RCSQ demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.882). The mean RCSQ total score was 73.69 ± 22.28, indicating a moderately favorable perception of sleep quality. A small-to-moderate negative correlation was observed between RCSQ and PSQI total scores (r = -0.308, p = 0.004), supporting convergent validity. CONCLUSION: The RCSQ is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing subjective sleep quality in community-dwelling individuals with schizophrenia in Turkey and is suitable for clinical and research use.