Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Parent-Implemented Bedtime Fading and Positive Routines

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders

  • 43 Accesses

Definition

Stimulus control is the principle underlying the most common behavioral interventions targeting sleep habits, such as positive routines and bedtime fading. Stimulus control posits that falling asleep is the final step of a behavior chain, in which initial steps are pre-bed behaviors that lead to a state of calmness.

Positive routines are defined as a series of five to seven calming activities that move from active to passive and are undertaken during wakefulness to facilitate quietude and sleep onset. When establishing positive routines, completion of each step in the routine is met by praise, notifying the individual of the transition to the next step.

Bedtime fading is defined as a sleep intervention in which bedtime is moved to match an individual’s natural sleep onset time and increase the likelihood of quick sleep onset. Bedtime is then systematically altered over time to more closely approximate developmental norms and family habits.

Historical Background

Good quality...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References and Reading

  • Abel, E. A., Schwichtenberg, A. J., Brodhead, M. T., & Christ, S. L. (2018). Sleep and challenging behaviours in the context of intensive behavioural intervention for children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(11), 3871–3884.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Adams, L., & Rickert, V. (1989). Reducing bedtime tantrums: Comparison between positive routines and graduated extinction. Paediatrics, 84(1), 756–761.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anders, T. F., Halpern, L. F., & Hua, J. (1992). Sleeping through the night: A developmental perspective. Paediatrics, 90(1), 554–560.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bootzin, R. R. (1977). Effects of self-control procedures for insomnia. In R. B. Stuart (Ed.), Behavioural self-management: Strategies, techniques and outcomes (pp. 176–196). New York: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burke, R., Kuhn, B., & Peterson, L. (2004). A “storybook” ending to children’s bedtime problems: The use of a rewarding social story to reduce bedtime resistance and frequent night waking. Journal of Paediatric Psychology, 29, 389–396.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christodulu, K. V., & Durand, V. M. (2004). Reducing bedtime disturbance and night waking using positive bedtime routines and sleep restriction. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 19(1), 130–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooney, M. R., Short, M. A., & Gradisar, M. (2018). An open trial of bedtime fading for sleep disturbances in preschool children: A parent education approach. Sleep Medicine, 46, 98–106.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cortesi, F., Giannotti, F., Ivanenko, A., & Johnson, K. (2010). Sleep in children with autism spectrum disorder. Sleep Medicine, 11, 659–664.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Delemere, E., & Dounavi, K. (2017). Parent-implemented bedtime fading and positive routines for children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(4), 1002–1019.

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • DeLeon, I., Fisher, W., & Marhefka, J. (2004). Decreasing self-injurious behaviour associated with awakening in a child with autism and developmental delays. Behavioral Interventions, 19(2), 111–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durand, V. M. (1998). Sleep better! A guide to improving sleep for children with special needs. Baltimore: Brookes.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finger, F. W. (1982). Circadian rhythms: Implications for psychology. New Zealand Psychologist, 11(1), 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gradisar, M., Jackson, K., Spurrier, N. J., Gibson, J., Whitman, J., Williams, A. S., Dolby, R., & Kennaway, D. J. (2016). Behavioural interventions for infant sleep problems: A randomised controlled trial. Pediatrics, 137(6), e20151486.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gruber, R., Cassoff, J., & Knäuper, B. (2011). Sleep health education in paediatric community settings: Rationale and practical suggestions for incorporating healthy sleep education into paediatric practice. Paediatric Clinics of North America, 58(1), 735–754.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanley, G. P., Iwata, B., & McCord, B. (2003). Functional analysis of problem behavior: A review. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36(2), 147–185.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Honaker, S. M., & Meltzer, L. J. (2016). Sleep in pediatric primary care: A review of the literature. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 25, 31–39.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jin, C. S., Hanley, G. P., & Beaulieu, L. (2013). An individualised and comprehensive approach to treating sleep problems in young children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46(1), 161–180.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Knight, R. M., & Johnson, C. M. (2014). Using a behavioural treatment package for sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorders. Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 36(3), 204–221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kodak, T., & Piazza, C. C. (2008). Assessment and behavioural treatment of feeding and sleeping disorders in children with autism spectrum disorders. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 17(4), 887–905.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laraway, S., Snycerski, S., Michael, J., & Poling, A. (2003). Motivating operations and terms to describe them: Some further refinements. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36(3), 407–414.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mazurek, M. O., Dovgan, K., Neumeyer, A. M., & Malow, B. A. (2019). Course and predictors of sleep and co-occurring problems in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(5), 2101–2115.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Milan, M. A., Mitchell, Z. P., Berger, M. I., & Pierson, D. F. (1981). Positive routines: A rapid alternative to extinction for eliminative of bedtime tantrum behaviour. Child Behavior Therapy, 3(1), 13–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mindell, J. A., Telofski, L. S., Wiegand, B., & Kurtz, E. S. (2009). A nightly bedtime routine: Impact on sleep in young children and maternal mood. Sleep, 32(1), 599–606.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mindell, J. A., Li, A. M., Sadeh, A., Kwon, R., & Goh, D. Y. (2014). Bedtime routines for young children: A dose dependent association with sleep outcomes. Sleep, 38(5), 717–722.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgenthaler, T. I., Owens, J., Alessi, C., Boehlecke, B., Brown, T. M., Coleman, J., Friedman, L., Kapur, V. K., Lee-Chiong, T., Pancer, J., & Swick, T. J. (2006). Practice parameters for behavioural treatment of bedtime problems and night wakings in infants and young children. Sleep, 29(10), 1277–1281.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Owens, J. A. (2007). Classification and epidemiology of childhood sleep disorders. Sleep Medicine Clinics, 2(1), 353–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perlis, M., Aloia, M., & Kuhn, B. (2011). Behavioural treatments for sleep disorders, A comprehensive primer of behavioural sleep medicine interventions. Oxford, UK: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piazza, C. C. & Fisher, W. (1989). Utilizing behavioural principles and circadian rhythms in the treatment of paediatric sleep disorders: The faded bedtime protocol with response cost. Paper presented at the 15th annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Milwaukee.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piazza, C. C., & Fisher, W. (1991). A faded bedtime with response cost protocol for treatment of multiple sleep problems in children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24(1), 129–140.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Piazza, C. C., Fisher, W., & Moser, H. (1991). Behavioural treatments of sleep dysfunction in children with the rett syndrome. Brain and Development, 13(1), 232–237.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Piazza, C. C., Fisher, W., & Sherer, M. (1997). Treatment of multiple sleep problems in children with developmental disabilities: Faded bedtime with response cost versus bedtime scheduling. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 39(1), 414–418.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reid, M. J., Walter, A. L., & O’Leary, S. G. (1999). Treatment of young children’s bedtime refusal and night-time wakings: A comparison of “standard” and graduated ignoring procedures. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 27(1), 5–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sanberg, S. A., Kuhn, B. R., & Kennedy, A. E. (2018). Outcomes of a behavioural intervention for sleep disturbances in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(12), 4250–4277.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schreck, K. A., Mulick, J. A., & Smith, A. F. (2004). Sleep problems as possible predictors of intensified symptoms of autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 25(1), 57–66.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Souders, M. C., Martin, T. B., Valladares, O., Bucan, M., Levy, S. E., Mandell, D. S., Weaver, T. E., & Pinto-Martin, J. (2009). Sleep behaviours and sleep quality in children with autism spectrum disorders. Sleep, 32(12), 1566–1578.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Vriend, J. L., Corkum, P. V., Moon, E. C., & Smith, I. M. (2011). Behavioural interventions for sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorders: Current findings and future directions. Journal of Paediatric Psychology, 36(9), 1017–1029.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK

    Katerina Dounavi & Emma Delemere

Authors
  1. Katerina Dounavi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Emma Delemere
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katerina Dounavi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, USA

    Fred R. Volkmar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Dounavi, K., Delemere, E. (2020). Parent-Implemented Bedtime Fading and Positive Routines. In: Volkmar, F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102424-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102424-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-6435-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6435-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation