Association for Behavior Analysis International

Webinar Series: Before the Potty Party: Preparing Practitioners for Practical and Person-Centered Toilet Training, June 2024

The development of individualized toilet training programs can be a comprehensive process. While several decision-making guidelines exist for other behavior analytic interventions and assessments, there are limited resources specific to preparing for and developing person-centered intensive toilet training programs for individuals with and without developmental disabilities. This has resulted in practitioners omitting essential steps within the program development phase and hastily including intrusive toileting components leading to unfavorable training contexts. Prior to directly implementing intensive toilet training programs, practitioners should complete essential preparatory steps to ensure client dignity and safety throughout the training context. Thus, the purpose of this article is to discuss ethical and practical considerations for developing person-centered intensive toileting training programs. This presentation offers recommendations to bridge the existing gap in the literature for toileting programs covering five sectors (i.e., Medical Clearance, Risk Assessment, Consent and Preferences, Assent, and Elimination Contingencies). Future research avenues are discussed.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to (1) discuss the literature on evidence-based intensive toilet training programs; (2) review practical considerations for implementation; and (3) provide recommendations based on our collective experience.

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