Relationship between perceived social support and stoma self‐efficacy in permanent colostomy patients: A correlational study

Abstract Aim In the context of adjusting to life with a permanent colostomy, this study explored how perceived social support from family, friends and others influences patients' self‐efficacy in managing their stoma and engaging with their social lives. Methods The study employed a descriptive, correlational design to investigate the relationship between social support and self‐efficacy in 94 colostomy patients between April 2021 and August 2022. Participants completed the Descriptive Characteristics Form, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and stoma self‐efficacy scale (SSES). Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data, and one‐way ANOVA with Tukey HSD post‐hoc test examined group differences. Pearson correlation assessed the relationship between age, social support and self‐efficacy, while multiple linear regression identified factors independently associated with self‐efficacy level. Results The participants had a mean age of 56.9 ± 14.34 years, and 37.2% had been suffering from stoma complications for a duration ranging from 13 months to 5 years. The mean total score on the MSPSS was 64.3 ± 13.5, whereas the mean total score on the SSES stood at 71.22 ± 20.21. A moderate positive correlation ( r = 0.419, p < 0.001) was observed between the total scores from the MSPSS and SSES. The increase in the total score on the MSPSS was a significant predictor ( β = 0.293, p = 0.001) of the level of stoma self‐efficacy, explaining 48.9% of the variance. Conclusion Stronger perceived social support was linked to higher stoma self‐efficacy in permanent colostomy patients.