Toward Efficient Toilet Training of Young Children in Early Childcare Programs

Abstract

Young children between the ages of 18-30 months begin to have the skills necessary to begin the process of toilet training (U.S Department of Health and Human Services, 2006). However, delayed toilet training of typically developing children has become a trend (Simon & Thompson, 2006). Delayed training can have negative health, financial, and social implications. To date, we have systematically replicated an intensive toilet training procedure described by LeBlanc et. al (2005) with seven children (ages 22-58 mo) with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities for whom a treatment package described by Greer et al. (2016) was not immediately effective. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline was used to evaluate the intensive training procedure, which consisted of a graduated sit schedule, reinforcement of successful urinations and self-initiations, increased fluids, communication training, a urine sensor and alarm, and positive practice for accidents. Results showed that the LeBlanc training procedure was effective for rapid performance acquisition that generalized and maintained in the preschool classroom for 5 of 7 subjects. Results are discussed in terms of treatment efficacy and efficiency, generality of procedures across populations (children with and without IDD), and social validity of treatment procedures in early childhood education and intervention environments.