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I direct a program for young children with autism. Often in my work when we see big spikes in behavior across multiple students, without a doubt, someone will ponder, “Is there a full moon?” In fact, I said it myself just this morning. It is common for therapists and teachers, as well as mental health professionals and law enforcement officers, to associate the full moon with an increase in erratic behavior. In some jurisdictions, the police force actually employs extra officers on nights when there is a full moon. And mental health professionals often dread going to work when the moon is full, anticipating a rough day or night ahead of them.
Historically, in Europe, legend has it that werewolves and vampires would come out at night when there was a full moon. This was referred to as “The Lunar Effect” or “The Transylvania Effect.” Belief in the power of the moon to drive us a little mad was, and to some extent (sans werewolves and vampires) continues to be, widespread. In fact, the word “lunacy” is derived from the word “luna” (Latin for moon) and was thought to be intermittent periods of insanity triggered by the moon’s cycle. In 19th-century England, lawyers used the “guilty by reason of the full moon” defense to claim their clients couldn’t be held responsible for acting under the moon’s influence.
Today, teachers and mental health professionals are joined by scores of parents who report significant behavior changes in their children when there is a full moon. All over social media, parents of children with autism say their children are more irritable, have more sleep issues, more energy, are quicker to cry, have more tantrums and have more obsessive-compulsive and self-stimulatory behaviors during a full moon.
There is no doubt that the idea of the ability of the moon to influence behavior has wide appeal. According to a University of New Orleans study, 81 percent of mental health professionals believe that lunar cycles affect human behavior.
But, is there scientific evidence to support these beliefs? Through the years, science has taken this topic seriously enough that there have been many studies looking at the possibility of a link. However, despite loads of anecdotal records and theories, there is no actual scientific evidence to support a lunar-human behavior connection.
In 2005, University of Saskatchewan psychologist Ivan Kelly conducted an analysis of more than 100 studies of lunar cycles and behavior, including emergency room admissions and suicide attempts. There was nothing to confirm that lunar cycles affect human behavior.
Yet, those of us in the trenches would swear otherwise. Kelly suggests that this is a phenomenon called confirmation bias: “selective thinking whereby we seek out information that confirms our beliefs and ignores evidence that challenges them.” Maybe there is some comfort in being able to pin unpredictable behaviors on some force that is bigger than any of us, but the next time you find yourself or your child howling at the moon, remember, according to science, that it’s just a coincidence that it’s full.
Kathy Shapell has a master’s degree in special education. She is the director of the Augusta Levy Learning Center for autistic children in Wheeling and the mother of two children.