Socio-cognitive processes are associated with parcopresis symptoms and public toilet avoidance in university students

• Published in: Current psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.) N.J.), 2023, Vol.42 (3), p.1762-1772
• Main Author: Knowles, Simon R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavioral Science and Psychology; Cognition; College students; Fear & phobias; Gender; Psychological aspects; Psychology; Public restrooms; Social anxiety; Social aspects; Social Sciences; Surveys; Toilet facilities; University students
• ISSN: 1046-1310; 1936-4733
• DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-01586-x

Parcopresis is a condition where individuals have trouble (or inability) defecating in restrooms due to the perceived scrutiny of others. The aim of the current research was to identify the prevalence of public toilet avoidance and explore if an extended socio-cognitive model of parcopresis predicts toilet avoidance. Seven-hundred and fourteen university students (73.2% female; mean age = 28.79 years) met criteria to participate and completed a series of questionnaires and ten restroom vignettes. On average 80.00% (gender adjusted 82.54%) of the participants chose to use an available toilet, while 16.78% (gender adjusted 14.44%) avoided a toilet for non-contamination fears. A further 3.22% (gender adjusted 3.01%) participants on average avoided using a toilet due to fears of contamination. Males were significantly more likely to use and not avoid toilets than females across all vignettes. A structural equation model (SEM) indicated the data supported the proposed model well ( χ 2 p value = .185, CMIN/df = 1.359, CFI = .998, TLI = .995, RMSEA = .023, SRMR = .0207) with significant direct relationships being found between: dysfunctional attitudes influencing fear of positive and negative evaluation and fear of social reprisal, and fear of positive and negative evaluation influencing fear of social reprisal and social anxiety symptoms. Social anxiety symptoms had a direct significant influence on parcopresis symptoms, while in turn parcopresis symptoms had a direct significant influence on toilet avoidance. The current study provides evidence that toilet avoidance is underpinned by social anxiety processes and affects at least 14.44% of university students.