Relationship between parental attitude towards the emotionally disturbed child and nocturnal enuresis.

Abstract

In a study of children with nocturnal enuresis a close relationship was found between disturbed family environment and the frequency of enuresis. It will appear that negative parental attitudes in contrast to positive ones, as defined in this paper, are predisposing factors for the appearance of nocturnal enuresis. It is well known that nocturnal enuresis is one of the most serious problems encountered in children. It is estimated that over 25 percent of the children examined in Child Guidance Clinics suffer from nocturnal enuresis. In fact enuresis is considered the most common reason for referral of children to such Clinics. Much has been said about the etiology of nocturnal enuresis, and the organic factor was considered to be of primary importance by physicians of past generations. Spina bifida, local infections, small cyst, adenoids, epilepsy and mental retardation were at times considered as the main causes. Today the organic factor is accepted as an important one in a percentage not exceeding that of five percent. As a psychological psychosomatic phenomenon, nocturnal enuresis is considered to be the result of many interacting factors. One of the psychological factors is known to be the child-parent relationship and the influence of the family environment as a whole. The purpose of this paper is the study of the influence of the family environment on the frequency of nocturnal enuresis regardless of the parents' reactions to the enuresis itself.