Empowering Bladder Health Education for Children: Integrating Situated Learning Theory and the ARCS Model in Online Program Design.

INTRODUCTION

Urotherapy, including behavior modification education, improves pediatrics lower urinary tract symptoms, but access remains limited due to a lack of publicly available, evidence-based programs. We developed Bladder Basics, a self-paced online bladder health education program and examined its instructional design and acceptability.

METHODS

Informed by Situated Learning Theory and the ARCS Model, Bladder Basics teaches key bladder health practices to promote behavior changes in an authentic, engaging way. 70 children ages 5-10 years with bladder symptoms and their parents watched Bladder Basics over four weeks, then completed online surveys and open-ended questions.

RESULTS

Bladder Basics was well-accepted and demonstrated high motivational appeal. Participants reported positive attitudes, strong engagement, and interest in expanded content. Parents observed increased child engagement and self-efficacy in adopting bladder health-promoting behaviors.

CONCLUSION

Integrating the two theoretical frameworks supports authentic, engaging bladder health education, enhancing motivation and acceptability, and potentially promoting healthy behavior adoption.