A Comparison of Self-Report and Interview Methods for Assessing Sleep Paralysis: Pilot Investigations in Denmark and the United States

A Comparison of Self-Report and Interview Methods for Assessing Sleep Paralysis: Pilot Investigations in Denmark and the United States

Purpose: In two pilot investigations we compared sleep paralysis (SP) rates using a self-report versus interview assessment method in two samples from the general population of Denmark, and one sample from the general population of the United States (US). Methods: The three samples did not differ on gender, age, education and racial distribution. In Study I, one sample of Danish participants (n=216) completed the first item of the Sleep Paralysis Questionnaire (SPQ) in the form of an online survey (self-report version); the same item was orally administered to another sample of Danish participants (n=223) but with the inclusion of an open-ended probe such that participants could elaborate on their experience (interview-based version). In Study II, a sample of US participants (n=77) initially completed the first item of the SPQ in self-report paper format and the same participants were subsequently administered the same item orally (similar to Study I, with an open-ended probe).