R ESEARCH A RTICLE Absenteeism, Educational Plans, and Anxiety Among Children With Incontinence and Their Parents HOLLIE G. FILCE, PhD a LESLIE LAVERGNE, PhD b ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Children with incontinence have more absenteeism, poorer academic performance, and potential social difficulties during the school years. These children and their parents are at risk for illness-related anxiety. Whereas educational plans are designed to remediate educational, medical, and social-emotional barriers at school, little research has explored the relationship among absenteeism, educational plans, and anxiety for this population. METHODS: Eighty-three families provided demographic information and completed either the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale Second Edition (RCMAS-2) or the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale (AMAS-A). A multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the relationships among these variables. RESULTS: Children with chronic illness resulting in incontinence had greater than expected rates of absenteeism. A high level of absenteeism was a significant predictor of parental anxiety, but not child anxiety. Over one third reported having no plan in place to support the child’s needs at school. However, when a plan was present, it had no impact on child or parental anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Absenteeism contributes to familial anxiety and educational difficulties. Despite the potential for educational plans to support these children at school, these plans are underutilized for children with incontinence. This population requires more attention to their academic and social-emotional well-being at school. Keywords: chronic illness; incontinence; absenteeism; educational plans; anxiety. Citation: Filce HG, LaVergne L. Absenteeism, educational plans, and anxiety among children with incontinence and their parents. J Sch Health. 2015; 85: 241-250. Received on September 27, 2013 Accepted on October 22, 2014 A pproximately 15% of US children have a special healthcare need using the Department of Health and Human Services’ criteria. 1 However, a smaller percentage of youth have incontinence as a functional impairment as a result of their illness. Whereas no definitive source is available to report incidence of urinary and/or fecal incontinence, prevalence rates have ranged from 1.8% to 20% for urinary incontinence, and 1.9% to 4.4% for fecal incontinence. 2,3 The impact of incontinence due to a chronic illness is both physiological and psychological, affecting the child across home and school environments. 4-15 The critical features necessary for academic success in school-aged children have been studied for some time, with no definitive consensus on exactly what a Associate Professor, (Hollie.Filce@usm.edu), Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive, No. 5057, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001. b Parent Navigator, (llavergne1@msn.com), Institute for Disability Studies, Bond Hall, 4th Floor, 118 College Drive, No. 5163, Hattiesburg, MS 39406. Address correspondence to: Hollie G. Filce, Associate Professor, (Hollie.Filce@usm.edu), Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive, No. 5057, Hattiesburg, MI 39406-0001. is needed to ensure school success. Children differ greatly, and it is impossible to determine what is needed to ensure optimal educational outcomes for all. For children with chronic illness, the root of their educational difficulty often is not related to an inherent cognitive disability, but rather, may be a function of the impact of their illness. 16 In a 2010 literature review, Lee and Shute 17 evaluated approximately 150 research studies exploring the personal (‘‘within student’’ characteristics such as cognition and behavior) and social-contextual (external variables such as school climate and familial issues) factors related to K- 12 academic performance in the general student population. The authors suggest these categories are interrelated, with no reliable way of determining where barriers to performance originate. As such, Journal of School Health • April 2015, Vol. 85, No. 4 •  2015, American School Health Association • 241