Parental self-efficacy and functional constipation in preschool children: a cross-sectional study

To evaluate parental self-efficacy, parenting attitudes, and maternal anxiety and depression in mothers of preschool children with and without functional constipation (FC) and to examine their associations with FC.

This cross-sectional study included 145 preschool children (72 with FC and 73 controls) and their mothers. FC was diagnosed according to Rome IV criteria. Parental self-efficacy, parenting attitudes, and maternal anxiety and depression were assessed using the BPSE-R, Parenting Attitude Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors independently associated with FC.

Mothers of children with FC had lower child-development teaching and total BPSE-R scores than controls (p = 0.002 and p = 0.019, respectively). Parenting attitudes and mean anxiety and depression scores did not differ between groups. Higher BPSE-R total scores were independently associated with lower odds of FC (aOR = 0.952, 95% CI 0.919-0.986; p = 0.006). Maternal employment was associated with lower odds of FC (aOR = 0.285, 95% CI 0.118-0.690; p = 0.005), whereas a processed-food dietary pattern was associated with higher odds (aOR = 3.261, 95% CI 1.378-7.717; p = 0.007).

Lower parental self-efficacy was independently associated with FC in preschool children. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the direction of this association.