Parental Divorce or Separation and Bedtime Inconsistency Among U.S. Children: Family Process Correlates in a National Sample

Parental divorce or separation represents a major family transition that may disrupt daily routines central to children’s health and development. Using data from the 2024 National Survey of Children’s Health, this study examined associations between parental divorce or separation and bedtime inconsistency among U.S. children aged 3–17 years, with a focus on family process characteristics and post-transition family structure. Weighted descriptive analyses and design-based logistic regression models accounted for the complex sampling design. Children who had experienced parental divorce or separation had higher odds of bedtime inconsistency compared with those who had not. Sequential models indicated that this association was modestly attenuated after accounting for caregiver capacity and emotional support, with caregiver capacity showing the strongest association with bedtime inconsistency. Predicted probabilities derived from the fully adjusted model ranged from 0.13 in low-risk family contexts to 0.47 in high-risk contexts characterized by divorce or separation, low caregiver capacity, and limited emotional support, indicating substantial variation in bedtime consistency across family environments. Interaction models suggested potential heterogeneity across caregiver marital status, although subgroup differences were not consistently statistically significant. Findings highlight bedtime consistency as a modifiable, family-regulated behavior associated with family context during transitions.