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Bedtime Consistency in Middle Childhood: Associations With School Engagement and Family Context in a National US Sample

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Journal of School Health / The Journal of School Health

Published online on

Abstract

["Journal of School Health, Volume 96, Issue 6, June 2026. ", "\nABSTRACT\n\nBackground\nFamilial context influences children's sleep routines, yet population‐level evidence linking school engagement and self‐regulation to bedtime consistency is limited.\n\nMethods\nData were drawn from the 2022–2024 National Survey of Children's Health, including US children aged 6–11 years (N = 46,149). Sequential logistic regression models examined associations between bedtime consistency and school engagement, self‐regulation, household and school context, adverse childhood experiences, caregiving factors, and demographics.\n\nResults\nLower behavioral self‐regulation, task persistence, and homework completion, perceived school unsafety, family structure, adverse childhood experiences, lack of caregiver emotional support, parenting stress, and older age were associated with higher odds of bedtime inconsistency (Wald F(16, 43,084) = 36.53, p < 0.001). In the fully adjusted model, low behavioral self‐regulation (aOR = 1.41), low task persistence (aOR = 1.69), and low homework completion (aOR = 1.72) remained significant. Model explanatory power was modest (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.126).\n\nImplications for School Health Policy, Practice, and Equity\nSupporting behavioral regulation and coordinated family‐school strategies may promote sleep regularity.\n\nConclusions\nBedtime inconsistency reflects both school‐based behavioral functioning and broader family context.\n"]