title: [Family therapy of encopresis].
abstract: Encopresis is a taboo symptom, which is connected with great suffering from mental pressure not only for the children concerned, but also their relatives. Family related approaches are indispensable to understand encopresis, because as a result of high symptom persistence and psychological comorbidity in many cases a purely behavior-therapeutic, symptom focused approach is not sufficient, and further psychotherapeutic interventions are necessary. There is a strong temporal correlation between family interaction and frequency of soiling and changes of interaction influence changes in soiling more than the other way round. In a literature review different family relationship patterns and approaches of family therapy are represented regarding encopresis. Meaningful differences for family therapy are represented regarding primary/secondary encopresis, encopresis with/without comorbid psychiatric disorder as well as encopresis with/without dysfunctional family interaction. Distinctions are made between symptom focused, not-symptom focused and combined family therapeutic approaches, which are illustrated with case examples of outpatient and inpatient treatment. Symptom focused family therapy like e.g. externalizing of the soiling is helpful also if no dysfunctional family interaction patterns are present, because all family members can contribute to treatment success according to their own resources.
authors: Rheinische Kliniken Viersen. Ingo.SpitczokvonBrisinski@lvr.de
authors: Ingo
authors: I
authors: Spitczok von Brisinski
authors: Fred
authors: F
authors: Lüttger
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D004688:Encopresis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005195:Family Relations; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010343:Patient Admission