<p>Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGDs) are disorders of the digestive tract without detectable structural or biochemical causes, which cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhea or constipation. In the coloproctological practice, constipation, incontinence and obstructive defecation disorders are frequent. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are validated self-assessment tools from the patient’s perspective, promoting patient-centered care and evaluating treatment outcomes; however, further optimization is needed to guarantee global applicability. This article aims to elucidate the role of PROMs in diagnostics, treatment planning and research for FGDs, analyze their methodological requirements according to the consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments (COSMIN) and to provide practical recommendations for clinical use.</p>