Nocturnal enuresis: a comparison of treatment techniques

Abstract

Twenty nocturnally enuretic children were assigned to 3 treatment groups. The children were allocated sequentially by age and sex to Retention Control Training, Bell & Pad or a combination of Retention Control Training and Bell & Pad treatment groups. The results support the hypothesis that a combination of day training and night training is superior to either one alone, in the amelioration of enuresis, with the former requiring an average of 39.6 trials (one trial per night) and the Bell & Pad group 79.4 trials to reach the success criterion of 14 consecutive dry nights. Only one subject in the Retention Control Training achieved the success criterion over 15 weeks of treatment. Of those followed up 10 months after treatment ended there were no relapses and the results lend support to the view that an overlearning procedure can have a positive effect on the rate of relapse. The role of bladder musculature in the aetiology of enuresis was investigated and the results suggest that bladder capacity is especially involved in the aetiology of primary enuresis. The results are discussed with regard to recent behavioural theories for the treatment of nocturnal enuresis and recommendations for improvements in technique are made.