Kathrin Stoll1, Yvonne Hauck2, Soo Downe3, Joyce Edmonds4, Mechthild M Gross5, Anne Malott6, Patricia McNiven6, Emma Swift5, Gillian Thomson7, Wendy A Hall8. 1. School of Population & Public Health, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Electronic address: kstoll@alumni.ubc.ca. 2. School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, Curtin University, Perth, Australia; Department of Nursing and Midwifery Education and Research, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Perth, Australia. 3. Research in Childbirth and Health (ReaCH) group, University of Central Lancashire, UK. 4. School of Nursing, Boston College, MA, USA. 5. Midwifery Research and Education Unit, Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Reproductive Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. 6. Midwifery Education Program, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada. 7. Maternal and Infant Nutrition & Nurture Unit, University of Central Lancashire, UK. 8. School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Assessment of childbirth fear, in advance of pregnancy, and early identification of modifiable factors contributing to fear can inform public health initiatives and/or school-based educational programming for the next generation of maternity care consumers. We developed and evaluated a short fear of birth scale that incorporates the most common dimensions of fear reported by men and women prior to pregnancy, fear of: labour pain, being out of control and unable to cope with labour and birth, complications, and irreversible physical damage. METHODS: University students in six countries (Australia, Canada, England, Germany, Iceland, and the United States, n = 2240) participated in an online survey to assess their fears and attitudes about birth. We report internal consistency reliability, corrected-item-to-total correlations, factor loadings and convergent and discriminant validity of the new scale. RESULTS: The Childbirth Fear - Prior to Pregnancy (CFPP) scale showed high internal consistency across samples (α > 0.86). All corrected-item-to total correlations exceeded 0.45, supporting the uni-dimensionality of the scale. Construct validity of the CFPP was supported by a high correlation between the new scale and a two-item visual analogue scale that measures fear of birth (r > 0.6 across samples). Weak correlations of the CFPP with scores on measures that assess related psychological states (anxiety, depression and stress) support the discriminant validity of the scale. CONCLUSION: The CFPP is a short, reliable and valid measure of childbirth fear among young women and men in six countries who plan to have children.
BACKGROUND: Assessment of childbirth fear, in advance of pregnancy, and early identification of modifiable factors contributing to fear can inform public health initiatives and/or school-based educational programming for the next generation of maternity care consumers. We developed and evaluated a short fear of birth scale that incorporates the most common dimensions of fear reported by men and women prior to pregnancy, fear of: labour pain, being out of control and unable to cope with labour and birth, complications, and irreversible physical damage. METHODS: University students in six countries (Australia, Canada, England, Germany, Iceland, and the United States, n = 2240) participated in an online survey to assess their fears and attitudes about birth. We report internal consistency reliability, corrected-item-to-total correlations, factor loadings and convergent and discriminant validity of the new scale. RESULTS: The Childbirth Fear - Prior to Pregnancy (CFPP) scale showed high internal consistency across samples (α > 0.86). All corrected-item-to total correlations exceeded 0.45, supporting the uni-dimensionality of the scale. Construct validity of the CFPP was supported by a high correlation between the new scale and a two-item visual analogue scale that measures fear of birth (r > 0.6 across samples). Weak correlations of the CFPP with scores on measures that assess related psychological states (anxiety, depression and stress) support the discriminant validity of the scale. CONCLUSION: The CFPP is a short, reliable and valid measure of childbirth fear among young women and men in six countries who plan to have children.
Authors: Nichole Fairbrother; Arianne Albert; Fanie Collardeau; Cora Keeney Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-04-12 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Francisco Javier Fernández-Carrasco; Gustavo Adolfo Silva-Muñoz; Juana María Vázquez-Lara; Juan Gómez-Salgado; Juan Jesús García-Iglesias; Luciano Rodríguez-Díaz Journal: Healthcare (Basel) Date: 2022-04-13