The Cultural Context of Sleep Behaviors in Latino/a Parents and Their Preschool-aged Children

Sleep disparities have been documented in Latino populations broadly, but less is known about sleep behaviors in Latino/a parents and their preschool-aged children. Sleep underlies psychological and physical health across the lifespan, and sleep behaviors early in development are foundational. No extant studies have examined Latino/a parents' and their preschool-aged children's sleep behaviors within the same study, despite high levels of child dependency during this developmental period. This project examined sleep behaviors in Latino/a parents and their preschool-aged children and correlates of these behaviors. The sample consisted of 219 Latino/a parents (M_age = 32.19 years) and their preschool-aged children (M_age = 41.31). Parents reported on sleep behaviors (i.e., duration, bedtime, nighttime waking) and demographic variables (i.e., income, household density). Indicators of parenting were assessed during a dyadic behavior observation task. Parent reports revealed that nearly half of children and parents were either just meeting or below recommended sleep guidelines: 42.3% of children slept 10 h or less, and 43.5% of parents slept 7 h or less. Parent and child sleep behaviors (i.e., bedtime, nighttime wakings) were positively related. Structural equation modeling indicated that higher income was associated with shorter sleep duration for parents and earlier bedtime for children. A culturally-sensitive indicator of supportive parenting related to longer sleep duration and fewer wakings for parents. Results highlight a need to consider contextual factors and both members of the parent-child dyad to best support sleep health and overall well-being in Latino/a families with young children.