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Encopresis: behavioral parameters associated with children who fail medical management
L J Stark1, A Spirito, A V Lewis
1Rhode Island Hospital/Brown University Program in Medicine, Providence 02903.
Insights
Parental coping styles and management strategies did not predict encopresis treatment success. Child behavior problems, however, may be a key factor in successful encopresis management.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Child Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Encopresis, or fecal incontinence, affects children and presents management challenges.
- Parental factors, including management strategies and coping styles, are explored for their impact on treatment outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether parent management of encopresis and parental coping styles predict treatment success.
- To identify key variables influencing the effectiveness of medical management for encopresis.
Main Methods:
- The study analyzed behavioral parameters related to parent management of encopresis.
- Parental coping styles (active, cognitive, avoidance) were assessed as potential predictors.
- The presence of child behavior problems was also considered.
Main Results:
- Parental management strategies and coping styles were not found to be significant predictors of encopresis treatment success.
- A variety of management strategies are employed by parents.
- Child behavior problems emerged as a potential predictor variable, consistent with prior research.
Conclusions:
- Current parental management and coping variables do not reliably predict encopresis treatment outcomes.
- Child behavior problems warrant further investigation as a critical factor in encopresis management.
- Future research should focus on the interplay between child behavior and treatment success in encopresis.
Abstract:
The present study examined behavioral parameters such as parent management of encopresis and parental coping styles (active, cognitive, and avoidance) as predictors of success with medical management of encopresis. The results suggest that parents use a variety of management strategies and treatment success cannot be predicted using these variables. However, in line with previous research the presence of child behavior problems appeared to be a potential predictor variable.