The relationship between parental awareness and self-efficacy with defecationcontrol skills in Iranian toddlers

Background and aims: Toddlerhood is an important period of a child’s development to masterthe functioning of the bowel and bladder sphincters. In this regard, the present study aimed todetermine the relationship between parental awareness, self-efficacy, and defecation controlskills in Iranian toddlers.Methods: The present study was descriptive cross-sectional research. The questionnaires onDemographic information of children and parents, parental awareness and self-efficacy, anddefecation control skills were completed by ۷۲ mothers of children aged ۱۸-۲۴ months old in thecity of Ramsar. The data were analyzed using SPSS ۱۸, descriptive tests of mean and standarddeviation, analytical tests of analysis of variance, independent t-test, and Pearson’s correlationcoefficient.Results: The results showed that the awareness and self-efficacy level was at a medium level of۱۷.۷۰ ± ۲.۹۲۳۰.۵۴ ± ۷.۱۵, and their children’s defecation control skill was at a high level۸.۸۸ ±۲.۹۱ respectively. Also, there was a positive significant relationship between parental awareness(r = ۰.۱۹, P = ۰.۰۲) and self-efficacy (r = ۰.۲۰, P = ۰.۰۱) with defecation control skills. Therewas a significant relationship between the mother’s occupation (P = ۰.۰۴), the father’s age (P =۰.۰۴), and parental selfefficacy (P = ۰.۰۴). In addition, a significant relationship was foundbetween the child’s age (P = ۰.۰۳) and the mother’s age (P = ۰.۰۱) with the child’s defecationcontrol skill.Conclusion: Promoting awareness and self-efficacy in training defecation control skills is anecessity for parents, and the policymakers should include the integrated care of children in theeducational programs of the Ministry of Health so that it is included in the agenda of routinecare of health centers in the country.

Keywords:

Awareness , Self-efficacy , Defecation , Toilet training