Self-efficacy, postoperative care satisfaction, body image and sexual functioning in ARM patients.
BACKGROUND
Several studies indicate that self-efficacy may have profound positive effects on health promotion, clinical practice and other outcomes, like patients' satisfaction and quality of life. However no studies on self-efficacy have been conducted in anorectal malformation (ARM) patients. Aim of the present study is to analyze the relationships between self-efficacy and satisfaction with postoperative care in ARM patients or in their parents and between self-efficacy, body image and sexual functioning in adult ARM patients.


METHODS
A total of 237 patients from 2 to 49 years old (mean age = 13.35 years old) participated in the study. Questionnaires were sent to members of the Italian Association for Anorectal Malformation (AIMAR) by ordinary mail. All subjects were asked to fill in the AIMAR questionnaire in which information about the perceived severity of malformation and postoperative care satisfaction were collected. For patients under 16 years old, parents were asked to fill in a questionnaire and a parent self-efficacy scale concerning the perceived ability to overcome possible difficulties related to ARM. Participants above 16 years of age were asked to fill in the questionnaire, a self-efficacy scale and some body image and sexual functioning items.


RESULTS
The main findings indicate that those patients who feel more efficacious are those who feel less embarrassed and shame about their body, feel less frequently unsatisfied of their body and their physical condition, and have the perception to be less limited in their sexual activities. Considering patients under 16 years old, results indicate that more parents feel efficacious, the more they are satisfied of the postoperative care, especially of some health care providers.


CONCLUSIONS
In ARM patients self-efficacy and parents self efficacy are correlated to important outcomes, respectively body image and sexual functioning in adults and postoperative care satisfaction in parents of those under 16 years old. Future longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate causal relations between the concepts considered.
Grano
Caterina
C
Department of Psychology, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Via dei Marsi, 78, 00185, Rome, Italy. caterina.grano@uniroma1.it
Aminoff
Dalia
D
Lucidi
Fabio
F
Arpante
Alessia
A
Violani
Cristiano
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000002:abnormalities*; D001828:Body Image; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004065:Digestive System Abnormalities / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012007:Rectum / Q000002:abnormalities*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Psychosom Med. 2007 May;69(4):306-12
17510290
J Pediatr Surg. 2006 Apr;41(4):837-41
16567204
Am J Gastroenterol. 2004 May;99(5):907-13
15128359
Dis Colon Rectum. 2001 Nov;44(11):1650-60
11711738
Arch Dis Child. 2004 Sep;89(9):836-41
15321860
J Pers Assess. 1990 Summer;54(3-4):564-75
2348342
Child Dev. 1990 Oct;61(5):1638-47
2245753
J Pediatr Surg. 2000 Mar;35(3):462-4
10726690
Diabetes Educ. 2001 May-Jun;27(3):393-404
11912800
Health Promot Pract. 2005 Apr;6(2):148-56
15855284
Pediatr Surg Int. 2007 Dec;23(12):1161-5
17929037
J Pediatr Surg. 2006 Feb;41(2):318-22
16481243
J Pediatr Surg. 1995 Mar;30(3):495-9
7760251
Adv Chronic Kidney Dis. 2008 Apr;15(2):191-205
18334246