Children talking about their sleep: a cross-sectional survey of differences by ethnicity and socioeconomic status in Aotearoa New Zealand primary schools.

STUDY OBJECTIVES

This study examined differences by ethnicity and socioeconomic status in attitudes to sleep and bedtime routine, as self-reported by children aged 7-9 years.

METHODS

Four groups of parent-child dyads were recruited: Māori participants from low- (n 18) and high- (n = 17) decile schools and New Zealand European participants from low- (n = 18) and high- (n = 17) decile schools. Children completed a questionnaire about their sleep, a self-report of anxiety symptoms, and a semistructured interview.

RESULTS

Most (77%) children reported liking to go to sleep (Māori, 88% vs New Zealand European, 65%; = .053) and 28% reported trouble sleeping. Māori children were less likely to report fear of the dark and fighting about going to bed. Liking going to sleep was associated with less fear of the dark and of sleeping alone. Children from low-decile schools more often reported waking with pain and feeling sleepy ( = .022) and taking naps ( = .018) during the day. They also had more symptoms of anxiety. New Zealand European children more frequently reported using "screen time" ( = .02) or "reading a book" ( = .05). Children attending high-decile schools were more likely to read at bedtime ( = .01), whereas children attending low-decile schools were more likely to have "play time" ( = .02). Children were able to articulate what was a good night and bad night sleep.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that more adverse differences in sleep habits and attitudes in children are most likely to be related to socioeconomic status than to ethnicity.

CITATION

Elder D, Miller J, Douglas B, Stanley J, McDowall P, Campbell A. Children talking about their sleep: a cross-sectional survey of differences by ethnicity and socioeconomic status in Aotearoa New Zealand primary schools. 2023;19(1):119-133.