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Recent research from the University of Essex has found that parental bed-sharing is unlikely to affect children’s psychological development. The study, led by Dr. Ayten Bilgin from the Department of Psychology, tracked nearly 17,000 British babies over 11 years and concluded that children who shared beds with their parents were as happy and healthy as those who did not.
The practice of bed-sharing has long been a subject of debate, with some experts expressing concerns that it could negatively impact children’s emotional and behavioral growth. Others, however, have argued that bed-sharing can be beneficial, providing comfort to both parents and children during the night.
Dr. Bilgin emphasized the lack of scientific research on this topic, noting, “Despite the ongoing debate about the potential long-term harms and benefits of bed-sharing, little scientific research has been conducted on this topic.” She added, “Parents can rest assured that as long as it’s practiced safely, bed-sharing is unlikely to have any negative impact on children’s emotional and behavioral development.”
The study, which has been published in the journal Attachment and Human Development, utilized data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study, which follows the lives of 16,599 children born in the UK. Parents were asked about bed-sharing practices when their children were 9 months old, and they reported on their children’s emotional and behavioral symptoms at ages 3, 5, 7, and 11 years.
The research specifically looked at internalizing behaviors, such as depression and anxiety, as well as externalizing behaviors, including aggression and hyperactivity. The findings revealed no significant association between bed-sharing at 9 months and these psychological outcomes later in childhood.
Dr. Bilgin acknowledged the guilt and shame that many parents feel around the practice of bed-sharing, but she emphasized that it is ultimately a parental choice. “There is a lot of guilt and shame around bed-sharing—but it is a parental choice,” she said.
The study’s findings are likely to reassure parents who choose to bed-share, reinforcing that, when practiced safely, it does not pose a risk to children’s psychological well-being.
For those interested in further details, the study is available in the journal Attachment and Human Development.
Reference:
Bilgin, A., et al. (2024). Associations between bed-sharing in infancy and childhood internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Attachment & Human Development. DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2024.2380427.
