After Peterson developed the Sleep Fairy method, a study was conducted to determine its effectiveness. This research study was presented at the Annual Association of Professional Sleep Societies Conference in Seattle, WA (June 2001). Results indicate that using the Peterson method substantially reduces children’s bedtime problems and night awakenings.

The Sleep Fairy provides parents with an easy-to-use approach for solving bedtime and sleep-related behavior problems. A recent study (Burke, Kuhn, & Peterson, submitted) indicated that four children with clinically significant bedtime behavior problems experienced an immediate and substantial decrease in disruptive bedtime behaviors when parents began reading The Sleep Fairy as part of their child’s bedtime preparation routine. These effects were maintained at three- and six-month follow-up. Parents of three of the four children also reported positive effects on daytime behavior. Parents’ ratings of The Sleep Fairy indicated that they perceived it as a highly acceptable treatment for their child’s identified problems.