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Outcome correlates of parent-child bedsharing: an eighteen-year longitudinal study
Paul Okami1, Thomas Weisner, Richard Olmstead
1Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095-1563, USA.
Insights
Parent-child bedsharing in early childhood showed a small association with improved cognitive skills by age 6. This longitudinal study found no negative consequences at ages 6 or 18, suggesting fears of harm are unwarranted when practiced safely.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Family Studies
- Child Health
Background:
- Parent-child bedsharing is a common practice, yet concerns persist regarding its potential negative impacts on child development and behavior.
- Existing research often lacks longitudinal data, limiting understanding of long-term outcomes associated with bedsharing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term correlates of parent-child bedsharing on child development and behavior.
- To examine potential associations between bedsharing and cognitive competence, sleep problems, and later-life pathology.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study following 205 families from pregnancy through the child's 18th year.
- Data collection on parent-child bedsharing practices and child outcomes at multiple time points (infancy, early childhood, age 6, age 18).
Main Results:
- A small but significant association was found between early childhood bedsharing and increased cognitive competence at age 6.
- No significant associations were observed between bedsharing and sleep problems or sexual pathology at age 6.
- Bedsharing in infancy and childhood was not linked to adverse or beneficial outcomes by age 18.
Conclusions:
- Widespread fears of harm from parent-child bedsharing appear to be unsubstantiated by this longitudinal data.
- Safe bedsharing practices, integrated within supportive family routines, do not appear to cause negative developmental consequences.
- Further research should explore the nuances of safe bedsharing environments and their integration into family life.
Abstract:
We report results of the first longitudinal study of outcome correlates of parent-child bedsharing. Two hundred five families in nonconventional and conventional family lifestyles have been followed since 1975. A target child in each family was followed from the third trimester of mother's pregnancy through age 18 years. Bedsharing in early childhood was found to be significantly associated with increased cognitive competence measured at age 6 years, but the effect size was small. At age 6 years, bedsharing in infancy and early childhood was not associated with sleep problems, sexual pathology, or any other problematic consequences. At age 18 years, bedsharing in infancy and childhood was unrelated to pathology or problematic consequences, nor was it related to beneficial consequences. We discuss these results in light of widespread fears of harm caused by parent-child bedsharing. We suggest that such fears are without warrant if bedsharing is practiced safely as part of a complex of valued and related family practices.