Enhancing Parental Well-Being in ARM: Integrating Psychoeducation into Surgical Practice

The recent study by (Magnavacca et al., 2026) represents an important advancement in understanding the psychological burden faced by parents of children with anorectal malformations (ARM). By applying the Common-Sense Model of Illness Self-Regulation, the authors provide a theoretically grounded explanation for how illness representation and coping strategies shape depressive symptoms among caregivers. The identification of threat-focused perceptions as a key contributor to distress is a valuable contribution to pediatric surgical psychology.