"Won't sleep training hurt my attachment?" This is a very common misconception about sleep training so I'm happy to clear it up and provide specific research.
First things first, from the research we have on sleep training, there have been NO negative effects on attachment found. Could we do with more research? Always!
Now, let’s dig into the research that we do have:
Attachment & sleep training research article #1
In 2016, Gradisar used a randomized controlled trial to study the effects of sleep training. Researchers followed up with families 1 year after sleep training to gather data. No significant differences were found in attachment between the children who were sleep trained and the children who weren’t sleep trained.
Attachment & sleep training research article #2
In 2012, Price used a randomized controlled trial as well. Follow up was conducted with families 5 years after sleep training. Again, no significant differences were found in parent-child relationships between the children who were sleep trained and the children who weren’t sleep trained.
Attachment & sleep training research article #3
Another randomized controlled trial conducted in 2004 by Eckerberg found that before sleep training, the sleep-disturbed children were rated as *more* insecure than a matched comparison group with unknown sleep behavior. This difference was eliminated after the sleep training interventions. Therefore, infant attachment and security seemed to *increase* after sleep training.
Attachment & sleep training research article #4
Jodi Mindell, a leader in the field of sleep training and psychology, reviewed 13 different studies on behavioral intervention for issues in 2006. Here is a direct quote from her research:
“Adverse secondary effects as the result of participating in behaviorally based sleep programs were not identified in any of the studies. On the contrary, infants who participated in sleep interventions were found to be more secure, predictable, less irritable, and to cry and fuss less following treatment.”
Attachment & sleep training research summary
Main things I want to point out from the research noted above:
→Randomized controlled trials (RCT) are the gold standard in research. Gradisar, Price and Eckerberg are all RCTs.
→When comparing those who were sleep trained with those who were not, we find no differences in long term attachment outcomes.
→In fact, a review of several studies actually shows a positive effect on attachment!
But what about the cortisol study? I’m so glad you asked! Let’s take a look…
Middlemiss attachment & sleep training research
In 2012 Middlemiss conducted a study measuring cortisol during the sleep training process. Cortisol is the stress hormone that our bodies produce. Babies were sleep trained in a hospital setting by nurses. Both mom and baby’s cortisol levels were measured on days 1 and 3. Mom and baby’s cortisol levels were correlated on day 1 but not on day 3. From this, they theorized that mother’s and infant’s cortisol levels were not in sync which could mean a weakening in their attachment…
However, there are many issues with this Middlemiss study:
→There was no control group to compare the data to.
→There is a significant lack of data that was collected. Why were cortisol levels only recorded on days 1 and 3? Why not day 5 (as the study was still being conducted at that point)?
→Not only was there a lack of data, we also have to grapple with the fact that these babies were not in their usual, safe environment and they were sleep trained by complete strangers. Comparing this clinical setting to sleep training at home with a trusted caregiver is like comparing apples to oranges.
→Finally, the cortisol results are not indicative of harm. Mother and baby’s cortisol levels being out of sync does not mean that attachment has been harmed. There is zero research to back up this claim.
Bottom line is... there is no research that shows sleep training harms attachment. On the contrary, we have some research to show it can improve attachment!
As always, sleep training is a very family-dependent decision and no one outside of your immediate family should be pressuring or making that decision for you. If you choose to sleep train, great! If you choose not to sleep train, also great! Neither way is right or wrong.
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