Too tired or too wired? Construction and Initial Validation of the Arousal and Wakefulness Regulation Scale (AWRS)

Arousal and wakefulness regulation (AWR) is increasingly recognised as a transdiagnostic mechanism underlying psychiatric disorders, including major depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, mania, and post-COVID syndromes. Despite its clinical relevance, no psychometrically robust self-report instrument exists to assess AWR. This article introduces the 14-item Arousal and Wakefulness Regulation Scale (AWRS), a self-report measure capturing behavioural correlates of neurobiological processes governing arousal and wakefulness. The scale was developed and validated in two large, population-representative German samples (NStudy 1 = 432; NStudy 2 = 859, ages 18–67). Following systematic item generation informed by literature review, existing instruments and expert consultation, exploratory factor analysis yielded a three-factor structure. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a dominant general factor (ωHg = 0.79) alongside three specific factors: (1) inner tension and exhaustion, (2) daytime AWR impairment and (3) nocturnal AWR impairment, with good model fit (χ²(63) = 434.53, p < .001; CFI = 0.95; TLI = 0.93; RMSEA = 0.089). The AWRS demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = 0.92, ω = 0.95) and strong construct validity through substantial correlations with established measures of sleepiness, fatigue, depressive symptoms and rumination (r = 0.44 - 0.77). AWRS total scores ranged from 14 to 70 (M = 39.31, SD = 13.00) and were normally distributed. Younger adults reported significantly higher AWR scores than older adults, indicating greater dysregulation of arousal and wakefulness. The AWRS combines a psychometrically robust global score with domain-specific subscales, enabling rapid identification of specific AWR domains requiring targeted intervention.