The Relationship Between Symptom Experiences and Quality of Life in Patients on Hemodialysis: The Mediating Role of Positive Psychological Capital

Background: The quality of life of patients on hemodialysis is a critical indicator of their prognosis and mortality, making its enhancement particularly important. Objective: This study aimed to examine the mediating effect of positive psychological capital on the relationship between symptom experience and quality of life in patients on hemodialysis. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional descriptive design. The participants were 156 patients on hemodialysis. Data were collected using structured self-report questionnaires. Mediation analysis was performed using the SPSS PROCESS Macro (Model 4), and the significance of the indirect effect was evaluated via bootstrapping. Results: The mean quality of life score was 3.17 out of 5. The quality of life of participants significantly differed by employment status. Positive psychological capital significantly mediated the relationship between symptom experience and quality of life (B = −0.18, SE = 0.06, 95% CI [−0.30, −0.07]). Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that mitigating symptom experiences and fostering positive psychological capital may help improve the quality of life in patients on hemodialysis.