What do systematic reviews say?

Psychological interventions (positive and negative reinforcement) vs no treatment

Psychological interventions (positive and negative reinforcement) led to higher sucking cessation (long term) compared with no treatment; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for the cessation of non‐nutritive sucking habits in children 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Long term (12 months or more)
  RR 6.25 [1.65, 23.65]
  1 study · 57 participants
  GRADE not reported

Psychological interventions (positive/negative reinforcement, habit reversal, DRO) vs no treatment

Psychological interventions (positive/negative reinforcement, habit… may leads to higher sucking cessation (short term) compared with no treatment (low certainty).

• Interventions for the cessation of non‐nutritive sucking habits in children 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term (less than 12 months)
  RR 6.16 [1.18, 32.10]
  2 studies · 87 participants
  Low

Psychological intervention (positive reinforcement) vs Alternative psychological intervention (negative reinforcement)

• Interventions for the cessation of non‐nutritive sucking habits in children 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Long term (12 months or more)
  Larsson 1972, comparing positive reinforcement with negative reinforcement, also provided long-term data. Again, no statistically significant between-group differences were shown (Analysis 6.2).
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Psychological intervention (habit reversal / positive reinforcement) vs Alternative psychological intervention (DRO / negative reinforcement)

• Interventions for the cessation of non‐nutritive sucking habits in children 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term (less than 12 months)
  Christensen 1987 (20 participants) compared habit reversal (HR) with differential reinforcement of other behaviour (DRO): no statistically significant difference. Larsson 1972 (38 participants) compared positive with…
  2 studies · 58 participants
  GRADE not reported