title: Ethnic differences in prevalence and determinants of mother-child bed-sharing in early childhood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To date few studies have examined how multiple layers of influences shape the emergence of bed-sharing practices in the first 2 years postpartum. In our report, we examined bed-sharing in a large multiethnic sample, exploring the influences of three broad classes of influence on bed-sharing at single time points and across time: (1) sociodemographic and (2) contextual factors such as breastfeeding, maternal mental health and stress, and (3) child temperament and sleep habits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Frequencies of bed-sharing were assessed at two time points, 2 and 24 months, in a population-based multiethnic (Dutch, Turkish or Moroccan, and Caribbean) sample of 6309 children born in the Netherlands.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In Dutch mothers, the majority of mothers did not share their beds with their child, and bed-sharing rates decreased from 2 to 24 months. Other ethnic groups showed higher bed-sharing rates, typified by both increases in bed-sharing (the Turkish and Moroccan group) and persistence of bed-sharing over time (the Caribbean group). There were few family and child characteristics associated with bed-sharing in the non-Dutch ethnic groups. In contrast, bed-sharing in Dutch mothers was associated with child temperament and sleeping problems, maternal depression, and sociodemographic variables like crowding and maternal education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that mothers with a Turkish and Moroccan or Caribbean background were more influenced by cultural values, whereas bed-sharing practices were more reactive in the Dutch group.
authors.affiliation: School of Pedagogical and Educational Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2060, 3000 CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: luijk@fsw.eur.nl.
authors.forename: Maartje P C M
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Luijk
authors.forename: Viara R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Mileva-Seitz
authors.forename: Pauline W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: Marinus H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: van IJzendoorn
authors.forename: Vincent W V
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Jaddoe
authors.forename: Hein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Raat
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.forename: Frank C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Verhulst
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tiemeier
mesh_terms: D001513:Beds / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000208:ethnology*; D003441:Crowding; D003469:Culture; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D009018:Morocco / Q000208:ethnology; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000208:ethnology*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000208:ethnology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology*; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology; D014900:West Indies / Q000208:ethnology
keywords: Bed-sharing; Determinants; Ethnicity; Frequency; Infant; Mother