Positive practice, overcorrection and behavior rehearsal in the treatment of three cases of encopresis

A procedure based on positive practice, overcorrection and behavior rehearsal was developed for treating encopretic children in a community mental health clinic. The procedure was easily taught to and administered by parents, emphasized maximum participation by the youths in the treatment program, maximized the use of the limited time a mental health clinic therapist has with individual clients, stressed positive and educative approaches rather than punitive ones, and was both rapid and effective in reducing encopretic behaviors. The procedure was employed with three male children aged five, seven and twelve years whose presenting problem was nonorganic encopresis. In each case, soiling was eliminated within six weeks in youths whose encopresis had persisted from two to eight years. An eighteen month follow-up indicated no further evidence of the problem behaviors.