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Cited by 33Sleep and related disordersWork-Family Balance ChallengesSleep and Work-Related Fatigue

Maternal perceived work schedule flexibility predicts child sleep mediated by bedtime routines

Open access
Lee, Soomi, Hale, Lauren, Berger, Lawrence M., Buxton, Orfeu M.·2019·Journal of Child and Family Studies
DOI 10.1007/s10826-018-1262-6PMC PMC12303077
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Abstract

Rigid work schedules are negatively associated with adults' sleep. Less is known about whether parents' work schedule flexibility influences their children's sleep. We examined associations of mothers' perceived work schedule flexibility with their children's sleep over time and whether these associations were mediated by bedtime routine adherence. Two-waves of data were drawn from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a sample of socioeconomically disadvantaged households in large US cities (N = 1040). When the focal children were ages 5 and 9, mothers reported their work schedule flexibility and their child's bedtime adherence, sleep duration, and difficulty getting to sleep. Cross-sectionally, higher levels of maternal perceived work schedule flexibility were associated with longer child sleep duration and a lower likelihood of having difficulty getting to sleep; these associations were mediated by greater child bedtime adherence. Longitudinally, increases in mothers' perceived work schedule flexibility from child ages 5 to 9 predicted increases in child bedtime adherence at age 9, which, in turn, predicted increases in child sleep duration at age 9. Increases in perceived work schedule flexibility also predicted a decreased likelihood of children having difficulty getting to sleep, but this association was not mediated by changes in child bedtime adherence. These results suggest that mothers' perceived work schedule flexibility may be a social determinant of child sleep health, largely through influencing bedtime adherence. Future interventions could consider how to improve bedtime practices in families with working mothers, including by increasing work schedule flexibility perceived by working parents to promote child sleep health.

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  • Less flexible, demanding, or shift work schedules may make it harder for caregivers to set boundaries around evening digital media use.

    “Less flexible, demanding, or shift work schedules may make it harder for caregivers to set boundaries around digital media use in the evenings.239”

    From Digital Ecosystems, Children, and Adolescents: Technical Report (2026) · cites this paper as [239]

    The Abstract says inflexible or unpredictable maternal work schedules may interfere with establishing consistent bedtime routines, and the Results report lower perceived flexibility among mothers working long hours or nonstandard shifts. The paper does not address caregivers setting boundaries around evening digital media use; its bedtime measure concerns adherence to a regular bedtime. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Bianchi SM (2009). What gives when mothers are employed? Parental time allocation in dual-earner and single-earner two-parent families. In Crane DR & Hill EJ (Eds.), Handbook of families and work: Interdisciplinary perspectives (pp. 305– 330). University Press of America, Bianchi (2009): Lanham, MD.

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Authors
Lee, S., Hale, L., Berger, L. M., & Buxton, O. M.
Affiliations
  • University of South Florida (US)
  • Stony Brook University (US)
  • University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
Corresponding author
Lee, Soomi
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Child and Family Studies
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2018-09-27
Volume
28
Issue
1
Pages
245-259
ISSN
  • 1062-1024 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-2843
DOI
10.1007/s10826-018-1262-6
PMC
PMC12303077
OpenAlex
W2892672586
Cited by
33
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2018: 1
FWCI
3.27
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Child and Family Studies (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD073352)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Work-Family Balance Challenges
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
Keywords
children's sleep, bedtime routines, sleep duration, sleep onset difficulty, working mothers, social determinants of child health, Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study

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