psychological intervention with parents improves treatment results and reduces punishment in enuretic children: a randamized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate the impact of psychological intervention with parents of enuretic children on treatment outcome.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-six enuretic children were randomized into two groups. All children received urotherapy orientation and psychological counseling. Psychological intervention was performed with parents in Experimental Group (EG) and not in Control Group (CG). All parents answered a questionnaire to evaluate violence against their children (Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale - CTSPC), and the Tolerance Scale. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was applied to evaluate behavior problems. Children responded to the Impact Scale and the Children and Youth Self-Concept Scale - CYSCS. Treatment results were accessed with a 14 days wet night diary.

RESULTS: Mean age and gender were similar in both groups. CTSPC showed less violence after the treatment in EG (p=0.007). The Tolerance Scale showed that parents of enuretic children were intolerant and that, after treatment, intolerance had a greater decrease in EG (p<0.001). The Impact scale showed that children suffer some impact from enuresis, and that in those in EG this impact was smaller after treatment (p=0.008). No differences were seen in CBCL and CYSCS after intervention. After treatment, the percentage of dry nights had a greater improvement in EG (52[30-91]) than in CG (10[3-22.5]) p<0.001. Children in EG had 6.75 times greater chance to have a complete response to treatment.

CONCLUSION: Psychological intervention with parents of enuretic children during their treatment improved the percentage of dry nights and the impact of enuresis while their parents started coping better with the problem and became more tolerant, reducing punishment towards their children.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN46655645, (https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN46655645).