Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 20, 2026

A Within-subjects Experimental Protocol to Assess the Effects of Social Input on Infant EEG
08:20

A Within-subjects Experimental Protocol to Assess the Effects of Social Input on Infant EEG

Published on: May 3, 2017

8.3K

Behavioral Interventions for Infant Sleep Problems: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Michael Gradisar1, Kate Jackson2, Nicola J Spurrier3

  • 1School of Psychology, and grad0011@flinders.edu.au.

Pediatrics
|May 26, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Graduated extinction and bedtime fading significantly improve infant sleep without negative impacts on infant stress, parent-child attachment, or child behavior. These behavioral interventions offer safe sleep solutions for families.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Infant sleep problems are common and can impact child development and family well-being.
  • Behavioral interventions are often used to address infant sleep issues.
  • The long-term effects of these interventions on infant stress and parent-child relationships require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the efficacy of graduated extinction and bedtime fading on infant sleep patterns.
  • To evaluate the impact of these interventions on infant and parent stress levels.
  • To examine the long-term effects on child emotional/behavioral problems and parent-child attachment.

Main Methods:

  • Randomized controlled trial with 43 infants (6-16 months) assigned to graduated extinction, bedtime fading, or sleep education control.
  • Sleep assessed via parent-reported sleep diaries and infant actigraphy.
  • Infant stress measured by salivary cortisol; maternal stress and mood via self-report; attachment via the Strange Situation Procedure at 12-month follow-up.

Main Results:

  • Both graduated extinction and bedtime fading significantly reduced sleep latency, number of awakenings, and wake after sleep onset compared to controls.
  • Small-to-moderate declines in infant salivary cortisol and maternal stress were observed in the intervention groups.
  • No significant differences in child emotional/behavioral problems or parent-child attachment security were found at 12 months.

Conclusions:

  • Graduated extinction and bedtime fading are effective behavioral interventions for improving infant sleep.
  • These methods do not appear to induce adverse stress responses or negatively impact long-term parent-child attachment or child development.
  • Behavioral sleep interventions offer significant sleep benefits with no discernible long-term detriments.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Assessment of the Efficacy of An Osteopathic Treatment in Infants with Biomechanical Impairments to Suckling07:11

Assessment of the Efficacy of An Osteopathic Treatment in Infants with Biomechanical Impairments to Suckling

Published on: February 5, 2019

9.8K
Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood08:20

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood

Published on: October 2, 2019

12.6K

Related Concept Videos

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder01:15

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a sleep disorder characterized by the absence of muscle paralysis that normally occurs during the REM phase of sleep. This absence allows individuals to physically act out their dreams, which are often vivid and disturbing. Common behaviors exhibited during episodes include kicking, punching, and yelling. These actions can be dangerous, potentially leading to injuries for the person with RBD or their bed partner.
RBD is significantly associated with...
2.4K
Operant Conditioning Intervention01:24

Operant Conditioning Intervention

Operant conditioning serves as a foundational principle in therapeutic interventions aimed at modifying maladaptive behaviors. Central to this approach is the notion that behaviors, both adaptive and maladaptive, are learned through reinforcement. By analyzing the environmental factors that reinforce problematic behaviors, clinicians can design interventions to weaken these reinforcements and replace maladaptive behaviors with healthier alternatives.
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
625
Management of Insomnia01:19

Management of Insomnia

The sleep cycle, an integral part of human health, consists of several stages with distinct characteristics and functions. It begins with a transition from wakefulness to sleep, known as the light sleep phase, followed by the restorative deep sleep phase, essential for physical recovery and growth. The cycle concludes with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, characterized by high brain activity and vivid dreaming. Insomnia, a prevalent sleep disorder, involves difficulty falling asleep, staying...
764
Blind Procedures02:07

Blind Procedures

Ideally, the people who observe and record the children’s behavior are unaware of who was assigned to the experimental or control group, in order to control for experimenter bias. Experimenter bias refers to the possibility that a researcher’s expectations might skew the results of the study. Remember, conducting an experiment requires a lot of planning, and the people involved in the research project have a vested interest in supporting their hypotheses. If the observers knew which...
13.9K
Behavior Modification01:21

Behavior Modification

Behavioral approaches have often been criticized for ignoring mental processes and focusing solely on observable behavior. However, these approaches provide an optimistic perspective for individuals seeking to change their behaviors. Rather than concentrating on intrinsic personality traits, behavioral approaches suggest that even longstanding habits can be modified by changing the reward contingencies that maintain them.
A real-world application of operant conditioning principles is applied...
906