Trying to Do What's Best: Maternal Perspectives About Toddler Sleep Health Among an Underresourced Sample of Mothers With Diverse Racial and Ethnic Identities

Abstract

Introduction: This study describes mothers' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices about their toddler's sleep health among an underresourced sample of mothers with diverse racial and ethnic identities.

Method: This was a descriptive qualitative study with 16 mothers and their 12- to 36-month-old child. Mothers completed a semistructured, audio-recorded interview about their toddler's sleep health. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis on the basis of established methods.

Results: Mothers self-identified as 18.8% Black, 43.8% White, 12.5% multiracial, 25.0% other race, and 37.5% Hispanic. Of the mothers, 80.0% reported a past year household income of ≤ $40,000. A core construct, "Trying to do What's Best," emerged from the interview data, and this construct included three domains: Getting Good Sleep, Getting Thrown Off, and Rolling With It.

Discussion: Findings support future strengths-based and multilevel sleep health-promoting interventions.

Keywords: Toddlers; low income; qualitative; sleep health; sleep health disparities.