Cosleeping and its correlates in Saudi school-aged children.

BACKGROUND: There are cross-cultural variations in sleep habits among children. No previous study has assessed the prevalence of cosleeping in school-aged children in Middle Eastern countries.

PURPOSE: To assess the prevalence of, and the factors associated with, cosleeping in Saudi school-aged children.

METHODS: Questionnaires were distributed according to a specified sampling procedure, and parents were asked to rate each item that described their child's behavior within the previous 6 months. Cosleeping was defined as all-night sharing of a bed or room with a parent.

RESULTS: Data were analyzed for 977 children (50.5% boys) with a mean age of 9.5 +/- 1.9 years and a range from 5 to 12 years. Cosleeping with parents was reported by 26% (95% CI: 23.2-28.7%) of the sample. According to a multivariate logistic regression model, a child's school level, enuresis, and nightmares were the only predictors of cosleeping.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that cosleeping is more common among Saudi school-aged children than has been reported for other countries. When assessing children's sleep, the practitioner should give special consideration to the child's needs, and his/her family's cultural background.