Self‐disgust and stigma both mediate the relationship between stoma acceptance and stoma care self‐efficacy

Patients with colostomy must cope with many challenges and undergo profound changes in daily life. Acceptance of the existence of the stoma and effective management of the stoma can aid patients in the return to a full and active life. Illness acceptance and psychological states have been widely reported to be correlates of the ability to successfully reconstitute a meaning of life, but these have not been specifically explored in patients with colostomy. This study examined the effect of stoma acceptance on stoma care self-efficacy with the mediation role of self-disgust and stigma. Evidence of the relationship between illness acceptance and self-efficacy could offer practitioners to consider emotional factors like self-disgust and stigma when aiming to improve stoma care and management.