Enuresis: comparison of two treatments

Despite long-standing claims that the conditioning method of treating enuresis is based on the classic conditioning paradigm, research explicitly investigating this claim has been limited. This study compares two conditioning methods of treating enuresis, both using the bell and pad, one in a classic conditioning paradigm and the other in an operant paradigm with an unconditioned stimulus delay of 3 minutes together with an operant reinforcement for wet or dry behavior. Sixty children were randomly assigned to one of the 2 treatment groups or a control group. Using Dunn's procedure, a planned comparison showed the control group and delay group did not differ significantly, but both differed significantly from the classic conditioning group (p less than 0.05). Fifty percent of the classic conditioning group reached criterion of 14 consecutive dry nights while 17% of the delay group reached criterion. None of the control group reached criterion. Results suggest that the operant procedures are a much weaker form of treatment than the bell and pad. This study indicates that enuresis in children can be successfully managed with a short duration outpatient program.