The attitudes and behaviors of mothers who provide toilet training to their healtly children: A qualitative research

Abstract

Aim: The aim was to evaluate to investigate the attitudes and behaviors of mothers who provide toilet training to their children.Material and Methods: A qualitative study was conducted with focus group interviews. This study was conducted with 24 motherswho provided toilet training to their healthy children between May and July 2017. Three focus group interviews were conductedwithin the scope of the study. Each group consisted of eight mothers. Semi-structured questions were used in focus interviews.These questions include “How did you know your child is ready for toilet training?”, “Are there any special practices you have done tomake your child feel more comfortable with the toilet? Can you explain?” Voice recording was performed during the interviews. Thedata collected with voice recordings were evaluated by content analysis method, and then the main themes and sub themes of thestudy were formed.Results: It was determined that 45.8% of the mothers were aged between 28 and 31, 33.3% of them were primary school graduate,50% of the children to whom toilet training was given, were determined to be aged between 2, 5 and 3. Three main themes andseven sub-themes were identified in this study. These include: 1-Decision time (behaviors of the child, age of the child, effectof family elders), 2-Facilitation activities (forming a suitable environment, encouraging) and 3-Reaction of the mother in interimincontinence(unresponsiveness, negative reaction).Conclusion: The majority of the mothers started toilet training according to the child’s age and readiness signs, used facilitationactivities and generally did not react harshly to incontinence.