Enuresis – children’s predictions of their treatment’s progress and outcomes

Aims and objectives. To investigate how nurses can use children’s ability to predict treatment outcomes as a possible feature contributing to successful therapeutic processes targeting enuresis. Background. Prediction of outcomes was viewed both as a self‐efficacy component or belief (based on self‐efficacy theory), and also as a skill for actually influencing change. Design. The study was conducted in a mental health community center, located in a large city in central Israel, which was well known for treatment of children with enuresis. For the purpose of the study, the children and their parents completed three questionnaires and underwent training to maintain bedwetting records. Methods. The study compared three groups of children aged 8–14 years who: made predictions only at baseline (n = 32), predicted progress every week during treatment (n = 38), or did not use prediction at all (n = 31). Results. Findings pinpointed the role of practice in improving predictions. Children who predicted weekly showed the highest congruence with outcomes. Relevance to clinical practice. Based on self‐efficacy, skills acquisition, and learning and training in the change process, nurses may help children overcome enuresis.