Global Educational Research Journal

Nurturing Holistic Development in Teacher Training Colleges: Addressing Nighttime Incontinence and Its Impact on Student Wellbeing

Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the impact of nighttime incontinence on the psychosocial well-being, academic performance, and professional identity of TTC students in Rwanda. The researchers utilised Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory. It involved interviews and engagement with 15 affected trainees (8 female and 7 male) and 8 staff members from three colleges, all purposively sampled. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, reflective journals, and institutional documents. The data were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. The results showed that many participants experienced serious emotional and social problems, including ongoing anxiety, feelings of shame, and avoiding social situations due to nighttime incontinence, which was made worse by Rwandan cultural views on bodily functions and living in a community. Academically, trainees chose to miss practicum opportunities and classroom participation to manage their condition. Professional identity dissonance emerged as a key theme, reflecting students' struggles to address health needs amid societal expectations for teachers to be stoic leaders. Participants maintained academic expectations through resilience, which included measures such as dehydration and concealment of their condition. Only three participants sought help to address their condition, primarily due to a fear of documentation. The study highlighted systemic limitations within teacher education frameworks in Rwanda, which prioritise deficits related to severe bodily harms and disabilities while neglecting the impact of invisible health burdens on teaching. Suggested changes included implementing anonymous health consultation pathways, providing individual dormitory rooms, and reframing curricular standards to incorporate health management competencies.

Keywords: Nighttime incontinence, teacher training, professional identity dissonance, stigmatized health conditions, educational inclusion