Beliefs about the appropriate age for initiating toilet training: are there racial and socioeconomic differences?
OBJECTIVE
To examine racial and socioeconomic differences in parental beliefs about the appropriate age at which to initiate toilet training.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey of 779 parents visiting child health providers in 3 clinical sites in Washington, DC and the surrounding metropolitan area completed a self-report survey. The main outcome variable was parental beliefs about the appropriate age at which to initiate toilet training. Using multiple linear regression, differences in beliefs were assessed in relation to race, family income, parental education, parental age, and age of the oldest and youngest children.


RESULTS
Among respondents, parents felt that the average age at which toilet training should be initiated was 20.6 months (+/-7.6 months), with a range of 6 to 48 months. Caucasian parents believed that toilet training should be initiated at a significantly later age (25.4 months) compared with both African-American parents (18.2 months) and parents of other races (19.4 months). In the multiple regression model, factors predicting belief in when to initiate toilet training were Caucasian race and higher income.


CONCLUSIONS
Race and income were independent predictors of belief in age at which to initiate toilet training. More research is needed to determine what factors contribute to toilet training practices in diverse populations.
Horn
Ivor B
IB
Department of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010, USA. ihorn@cnmc.org
Brenner
Ruth
R
Rao
Malla
M
Cheng
Tina L
TL
D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D001290:Attitude / Q000208:ethnology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003469:Culture; D004219:District of Columbia; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014039:Toilet Training; D044465:White People