Monday, February 13, 2017

Use of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Tip #63



The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is a self-report instrument that asks the test-taker to rate themselves on a 4-point scale describing their impression of the likelihood of their “dozing or sleeping” under eight circumstances such as sitting and reading, watching television, lying down in the afternoon or stopped in traffic for a few minutes.  The test-taker can receive a total score of between 0 and 24, with a higher score indicating that they believe they are more likely to fall asleep or doze under the stated circumstances.  It is advised tha a score greater than 10 indicates that the test-taker should consider whether they are obtaining adequate sleep or need to see a sleep specialist.   Unfortunately, there are no validity scales included in the test to determine whether the test-taker is completely the items in an honest and frank manner and therefore the test is completely useless for medical-legal evaluations.

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