Parent-reported toilet training practices and the role of pediatric primary care providers

Abstract

Background: Toilet training is a universal developmental milestone and a stressful period for families with few empirically based guidelines. Purpose: This study identified currently used methods of toilet training and sources used for parental guidance. Methodological orientation: A descriptive, qualitative design was used. Sample: Participants included 479 parents of children aged 2–6 years. Conclusions: Parents described diverse toilet training strategies, most of which were behavioral and inconsistent with recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Most children were toilet trained between 24 and 36 months within 5 weeks. Forty-one percent of parents relied on the Internet for toilet training information, and fewer than half reported involvement of their child's primary care provider. Implications for practice: Parents in the community would likely benefit from additional education and anticipatory guidance from primary care providers about normative toilet training. Further work is needed to understand the effectiveness of different methods of training and improve adherence to AAP recommendations.