ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Sleep characteristics in children vary not only with age but also with ethnic and sociocultural influences. In fact, lifestyle issues, as well as cultural beliefs and family values, might influence sleep too. Cultural differences are not random events, they occur because cultures with different geographies, climates, economies, religions, and histories exert unique influences. Individualism-collectivism is the major dimension of cultural variability used to explain differences and similarities in communication across cultures (1). They represent conflicting views of beliefs, attitudes, norms, rules, and values, reflecting the nature of humans, society, and the relationship between them. In individualistic cultures, people are viewed as independent and possessing a unique pattern of traits that distinguish them from other people; on the contrary, individuals in collectivistic cultures view themselves as inherently interdependent within the group to which they belong. Children both actively shape and are shaped by the social worlds in which they live. Primarily, the immediate family environment represents the microsystems into which the parents bring their own background development. The family is in turn embedded within the wider community and cultural networks of a macrosystem, representing overriding norms, cultural beliefs, and values in any particular society. Although these may vary both between and within different societies and cultures, consistencies in the beliefs, attitudes, and actions of particular social groupings can be identified and can help us to understand how children’s sleep habits develop.
