Staying Up Like a Vampire: Psychometric Validation of the Vamping Scale, Its Links to Sleep and Mental Well-Being

Behav Sleep Med. 2026 May-Jun;24(3):317-329. doi: 10.1080/15402002.2025.2609553. Epub 2025 Dec 29.

Abstract

Methods: In Study 1, 349 Turkish-speaking adults (57% female; M = 24.05 years, range = 18-68) completed the translated Vamping Scale with related sleep and procrastination measures. CFA, item-total correlations, and IRT assessed factor structure and item properties, while reliability was evaluated with α, ω, and λ6. In Study 2, 342 adults (56% female; M = 26.65 years, range = 18-56) completed the Vamping Scale with mental health and well-being measures. Pearson correlations and SEM tested whether psychological distress mediated the relationship between vamping and well-being.

Results: A revised 10-item, two-factor model showed acceptable fit (CFI = .901; SRMR = .0562) and high internal consistency (α = .890). Vamping was positively related to bedtime procrastination, sleep effort, and psychological distress, and negatively to life satisfaction and well-being. SEM confirmed psychological distress mediated the link between vamping and well-being.

Conclusion: The Turkish Vamping Scale is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing late-night technology use behaviors in adult populations. The findings underscore the detrimental associations between vamping, sleep-related difficulties, and psychological distress, supporting the need for targeted interventions. Future research should incorporate longitudinal designs and objective sleep measures to clarify causal pathways.

Publication types

  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health*
  • Middle Aged
  • Personal Satisfaction*
  • Psychological Distress
  • Psychometrics*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sleep* / physiology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Turkey
  • Young Adult