1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«The present study aimed to take a first step toward a cross-cultural analysis of couples’ sleep, while exploring an important topic – coping strategies – for which no information is available. More precisely, the aim of this study was to explore the strategies used to cope with sleep difficulties by adult couples from Quebec (Canada) and Fortaleza (Brazil), as well as the potential sociocultural variations related to these strategies.» (p. 160)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
The sample is composed of «[s]ix couples in Quebec City (Canada) and five couples in Fortaleza (Brazil), of which one or both partners experienced sleep difficulties […].» (p. 160) «Inclusion and exclusion criteria were the same for both research sites. Inclusion criteria were (a) to have Canadian or Brazilian origin; (b) to be between 24 and 50 years of age; (c) to have lived together as a couple for at least two years; (d) to present a subjective complaint of sleep difficulties (either or both partners); and (e) to agree to participate together in the study.» (p. 160) Additionally, «partners wrote individual and open-ended reports about their night of sleep upon awakening». (p. 160)

Instruments :
- Questionnaires
- Guide d’entretien semi-directif

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse de contenu

3. Résumé

«[T]he present study reveals that the coping strategies used by Canadian and Brazilian partners are related not only to the individual, but can be shared. The participants use individual, common and shared or common and independent strategies to manage sleep difficulties of either or both partners. These strategies, including partners’ beliefs and practices surrounding sleep, whether they origin in familial transmission or not, are closely related to the sociocultural (e.g., marital status, cultural values, 24h/7 society), economic (e.g., educational level) and environmental (e.g., sleep environment) contexts of their respective countries. […] Notably, in Quebec, the participants used more common and shared strategies oriented toward both partners […]. In other words, couples from Quebec sought equity in their efforts to have a good night’s sleep, which was a more individual-oriented choice in contrast to the Fortaleza couples […].» (p. 167-168)