Improving toilet‐use (encopresis) in a nine‐year‐old male through full‐cleanliness training and token reinforcement

Abstract

The effectiveness of full cleanliness training and token reinforcement programme in improving encopretic behaviour of a nine‐year‐old child was presented, participants were residents in a University campus. Target behaviours included appropriate toilet use, full cleanliness, good bladder control, good behaviour to sibling, good social relations, obedience to parents, and positive attitude to school work. Training was implemented in a “home ‐‐ office” setting and consisted of verbal instruction, modeling, manual prompts and token reinforcement delivered at variable intervals. Analysis showed acquisition of target behaviours in about seven sessions. Further, behavioural gains were judged to be clinically significant by a group of independent observers. The clinical and theoretical significance of these findings is discussed.