The determination of six-year-old enuretic children's experiences using the dramatization method

Enuresis nocturna (NE) is a condition in which a child over the age of five wets the bed at least two nights a week for at least three months. Physical diseases, deep sleep, familial predisposition, psychological reasons, separation from parents, fear, traumatic experiences, sibling jealousy, inadequate-irregular toilet training are effective in the emergence of NE.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of NE in 66-72-month-old children attending kindergarten, to examine the variables associated with NE, and to identify the feelings, thoughts and experiences of enuretic children.

The research was conducted as a mixed method. The research consists of two stages. In the first stage, parents were asked to fill in the questionnaire form and the scale related to the research. In the second stage, the dramatization method was applied with wooden dolls with child-mother-father-sibling figures with 10 children who received permission from their parents and volunteered to participate in the study. After the children were asked to complete the pre-structured stories, their expressions were transcribed. Independent themes were created by two experts in the field and the themes were reorganized after they were brought together. The research was conducted as a mixed method. The research consists of two stages. The first stage was a descriptive study in which a questionnaire form and the SAAS-P scale were used and completed by the parents. In the second stage, dramatization method was applied with 10 enuretic children. The expressions of the children were transcribed and the mental representations in the child were determined. Independent themes were created by two experts in the field, and then the themes were brought together and reorganized.

The NE rate of the group of 86 children was 23 %. According to the results obtained, children with nocturnal enuresis had high separation anxiety and fear of abandonment (p < 0.05). The siblings of children with nocturnal enuresis also had nocturnal enuresis problems and their parents had enuresis problems in their childhood (p < 0.05). When the mental representations in the child were analyzed using the dramatization method, the following themes emerged: "Emotion-Thought", "Reason for enuresis according to the child", "Support and precautions", "Social life".

NE is one of the most common disorders in childhood. The NE rate in this study is higher than the average. The small number of the sample group may affect the results. The results of the study regarding the variables are consistent with the literature. It is important to treat enuresis in a short time. In addition, appropriate interventions for separation anxiety and fear of abandonment in enuretic children may be recommended. The limitation of the study is that these findings cannot be generalized as they are the result of the application in a small group. This study may sensitize professionals to the problem of how the child and family think and feel about the problem of enuresis nocturna.

This is the first study to describe mental representations in enuretic children aged 6 years using the dramatization method. The main findings are that incontinence can cause shame and anxiety in children with this condition and that the family environment contributes to this. In this case, recognizing and managing anxiety is crucial for successful treatment. Increasing the self-esteem of enuretic children and improving the quality of parent-child relationships may reduce the incidence of psychological problems in the child in the future.