The context of preschool children's sleep: racial/ethnic differences in sleep locations, routines, and concerns

Cross-national research suggests cultural factors affect how parents manage and perceive their children's sleep. In the United States, however, it is unclear whether documented racial/ethnic differences in these aspects of children's sleep reflect culturally distinct parental values and practices or confounding sociodemographic factors. This study uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Well Being Study to examine potential racial/ethnic differences in how parents manage and perceive the sleep of their preschool children (n = 3,068), while controlling for potential sociodemographic (e.g., family structure), environmental (e.g., number of available bedrooms), and pragmatic (e.g., parental shift work) confounds. Results suggest racial/ethnic differences exist in where children sleep, how they are put to bed, and the level of concern mothers have about their child's sleep, beyond the effect of confounding factors. These differences may reflect distinct cultural values, as well as diverse goals for family and parent-child relationships. As our country becomes increasingly heterogeneous, it is important for developmental researchers and pediatric providers to understand the various ways diversity may be reflected in family life.