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    Extinction with Parental Presence

    Significant crying3 to 7 daysSome scientific support

    The child is placed in bed awake and the parent stays in the room – lying on a mattress or sitting on a chair – but does not respond to the child's crying or protests. The method combines the principle of extinction (no response to crying) with the parent's physical presence in the room.

    How the method works

    The parent places the child in bed after the evening routine and then lies on a mattress or sits on a chair in the room. The parent pretends to sleep or avoids eye contact and interaction. The child is allowed to cry without the parent responding, comforting or picking them up. Unlike the chair method, the parent does not gradually move position. The goal is for the parent to be able to leave the room entirely once the child has learned to fall asleep independently.

    What the research says

    The method has been studied to a limited extent as a standalone intervention. Sadeh (1994)¹ described a variant where the parent was present but did not interact. Mindell et al. (2006)² include the method in their review of sleep training methods. It shares the mechanism of action with classic extinction: breaking the link between crying and parental response. The physical presence may however reduce parental anxiety. The evidence is thinner than for classic extinction and graduated extinction.

    Potential benefits

    • The parent is physically present, which can feel more secure
    • Can be easier to follow through for parents who can't leave the room
    • Based on the same principle as extinction, which has strong evidence
    • Can produce relatively quick results

    Challenges

    • –Being in the room and hearing crying without responding can be very demanding
    • –Risk that the parent gives inconsistent signals (eye contact, sighing)
    • –The parent's presence may prolong the crying period compared with classic extinction
    • –Less research than for classic extinction and Ferber

    Sources

    1. Sadeh, A. (1994). Assessment of intervention for infant night waking: Parental reports and activity-based home monitoring. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62(1), 63–68.
    2. Mindell, J. A., et al. (2006). Behavioral treatment of bedtime problems and night wakings in infants and young children. Sleep, 29(10), 1263–1276.