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Reducing bedtime tantrums: comparison between positive routines and graduated extinction

L A Adams1, V I Rickert

  • 1Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock.

Pediatrics
|November 1, 1989
PubMed

Insights

Positive routines and graduated extinction effectively reduced toddler bedtime tantrums. The positive routines approach also improved parental marital satisfaction, offering additional benefits beyond tantrum reduction.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric sleep behavior
  • Child psychology
  • Family therapy

Background:

  • Bedtime tantrums are a common challenge for toddlers and preschoolers.
  • Existing interventions for bedtime resistance vary in efficacy and parental burden.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the effectiveness of positive routines and graduated extinction for reducing bedtime tantrums.
  • To assess secondary outcomes, including parental marital satisfaction.

Main Methods:

  • Randomized controlled trial with 36 children divided into positive routines, graduated extinction, and control groups.
  • Positive routines involved pre-sleep enjoyable activities and flexible bedtime adjustments.
  • Graduated extinction involved systematic ignoring of tantrum behaviors.

Main Results:

  • Both positive routines and graduated extinction significantly reduced tantrum frequency and duration compared to controls.
  • Improvements were sustained at 3- and 6-week follow-ups.
  • Parents in the positive routines group reported significantly higher marital satisfaction.

Conclusions:

  • Positive routines and graduated extinction are effective behavioral interventions for childhood bedtime tantrums.
  • The positive routines strategy offers added benefits for parental well-being.
  • Behavioral interventions can positively impact family dynamics.

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