Severity of self-reported depressive symptomatology and relevant factors in children with primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis and their mothers.

Background: Nocturnal enuresis (NE) may negatively affect social and emotional life as well as mood in both children and their mothers. The aim of this study is to evaluate severity of self-reported depressive symptomatology and determine the relevant factors in children with primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE) and their mothers by using depression inventories.

Methods: Children Depression Inventory (CDI) for children and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for mothers were administered to the study group. The children and mothers in the patient and control groups were compared according to the depression inventory scores. The relationship of various sociodemographic factors with those scores was also investigated.

Results: BDI scores of the mothers of children with primary MNE demonstrated minor depressive symptomatology and were significantly higher than the mothers in the control group (p = 0.002). Moreover, although within the normal range, CDI scores of the children with primary MNE were also significantly higher than the controls (p = 0.031). Main factors associated with BDI scores were the presence of primary MNE, maternal educational level, and CDI scores. School achievement of the children, monthly income of the family, and BDI scores were found to be correlated to the CDI scores.

Conclusions: Primary MNE was found to be associated with negative mood of the mothers in the present study. As misinformed parental attitudes adversely affect family dynamics, improved awareness of, and maternal education regarding primary MNE is vital in improving the holistic outcome of families affected by MNE.