Differences in Infant and Parental Sleep and Sleeping Location in a Multi-National Study

This study investigated cross-country differences in infant and maternal sleep across Korea, the U.S.A. and Australia.

Participants were 2,005 mother-infant dyads (infant M_age = 13.82 months, SD_age = 6.23 months) from Australia (n = 73), Korea (n = 222), and the U.S.A. (n = 1710). Mothers completed the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes About Sleep Scale (DBAS), and Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ) and were grouped (6, 12, and 24 months) dependent on infant age. Data were analyzed using multiple regressions.

Korean mothers had higher insomnia symptoms compared to Australian and U.S.A. mothers at all timepoints (p's < .002). Mean DBAS scores were higher for Korean compared to U.S.A. and Australian mothers (p's < .007). Compared to U.S.A. infants at all timepoints and to Australian infants at 12- and 24 months, Korean infants had shorter nighttime TST (p's < .040) and longer SOL (p's < .003). Bedsharing was associated with lower insomnia symptoms in Korean mothers at 24 months (p = .043). Co-sleeping was not significantly associated with insomnia and DBAS scores (p's > .164).

Korean mothers had higher insomnia and DBAS scores, which did not differ by co-sleeping status; Korean infants had shorter nighttime TST, and longer SOL. Bedsharing in Korea was protective against insomnia symptoms at 24 months. Further exploration into the mechanisms of sleep changes is required to tailor future interventions for diverse backgrounds.