Anorectal malformations (ARMs) are uncommon congenital colorectal abnormalities that can have a severe influence on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) owing to long-term repercussions such as fecal incontinence. The purpose of this study was to see if a prevalent way of assessing and perceiving life experiences from a positive perspective influences the effect of fecal continence on HRQoL. Participants were selected from the Italian Association for Anorectal Malformations. Adult patients with ARMs who completed assessments of fecal continence, positivity, and mental/physical HRQoL were included in the study. The PROCESS macro for the SPSS statistical program was used to examine the data (Model 4). 66 adult individuals with ARMs were included in the research. Those with higher fecal continence reported higher physical and mental HRQoL than patients with poorer fecal continence, according to mediated regression analyses. The indirect effects were substantial as well, showing that optimism mediated the influence of fecal continence on physical and mental HRQoL.
The findings add to earlier research on ARM patients and provide evidence that having a positive outlook on oneself, one’s life, and one’s future helps to explain the impact of functional impairments on quality of life.
