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Treating Encopresis in People with Intellectual Disabilities: a Literature Review
Author(s) -
Lancioni Giulio E.,
O'Reilly Mark F.,
Basili Gabriella
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1468-3148
pISSN - 1360-2322
DOI - 10.1046/j.1468-3148.2001.00058.x
Subject(s) - encopresis , constipation , psychology , research data , relation (database) , clinical psychology , medicine , computer science , library science , surgery , subject (documents) , database
The purpose of the present paper was to review research studies of faecal soiling (not linked to anatomical anomalies) in people with intellectual disabilities. The research studies were identified through: (1) computerized searches of the PSYCLIT and MEDICAL EXPRESS databases for journal articles published between 1975 and 2000; and (2) a hand search of the reference lists of the articles found through the computerized process. Twenty‐one studies were reviewed: 13 dealt with the treatment of non‐retentive faecal soiling (i.e. soiling occurring in the absence of constipation); and eight were on retentive faecal soiling (i.e. soiling occurring in the presence of constipation). Treatment and follow‐up data tended to be fairly encouraging, with clear performance changes. An analysis of the results, in relation to the treatment conditions and designs of the studies, underlined several procedural and practical questions. Possible research initiatives to clarify those questions are presented.