Sónia Brandão1, Denisa Mendonça2, Cláudia Castro Dias3, Tiago Miguel Pinto4, Cindy-Lee Dennis5, Bárbara Figueiredo6. 1. Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; Centro Materno Infantil do Norte - Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Largo da Maternidade de Júlio Dinis, 4050-651 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: soniabrandao.obstetricia@chporto.min-saude.pt. 2. Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; EPIUnit, Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Rua das Taipas 135, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: dvmendon@icbas.up.pt. 3. School of Psychology, University of Minho, Escola de Psicologia da Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: cdias@psi.uminho.pt. 4. School of Psychology, University of Minho, Escola de Psicologia da Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: tmpinto@psi.uminho.pt. 5. Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing University of Toronto, Suite 130, 155 College St, Toronto, ON M5T 1P8, Canadá; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria St, Toronto, ON M5B 1T8, Canadá. Electronic address: cindylee.dennis@psi.utoronto.ca. 6. School of Psychology, University of Minho, Escola de Psicologia da Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: bbfi@psi.uminho.pt.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form is a reliable instrument to measure mother's confidence in her ability to breastfeed. The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form has traditionally been used postnatally, but evidence suggests that it can be used antenatally to identify mothers at-risk of requiring additional support to improve breastfeeding outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric characteristics of an antenatal version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form, among pregnant Portuguese women. DESIGN: Methodological prospective study to examine the psychometric characteristics of the antenatal Portuguese version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form. SETTINGS: Two public hospital units in the Northern Portugal. PARTICIPANTS: The sample was comprised of 373 pregnant women recruited at 30-34 gestational weeks. METHODS: The original English version of the antenatal Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form was translated into Portuguese and the Portuguese antenatal version of the scale was tested in a sample of 373 pregnant women. To examine the psychometric characteristics of the Portuguese antenatal version of the scale, the maternal demographic variables and the depressive and anxiety symptomatology of the participants were examined. The predictive validity of the Portuguese antenatal version of the scale was studied according to infant feeding method at one, three, and six months postpartum. RESULTS: The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.92. The antenatal version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form scores were found to be associated with women's parity, educational level, occupational status, time they intend to breastfeed, and previous breastfeeding experience. Also, the antenatal version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form scores significantly predicted exclusive breastfeeding at 1 month postpartum. CONCLUSIONS: Results provided evidence that the antenatal Portuguese version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form is a valid and reliable measure to assess breastfeeding self-efficacy in pregnant women. The antenatal version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form could be a useful tool to assist Portuguese health professionals during routine prenatal care appointments to screen women with lower antenatal breastfeeding self-efficacy and, consequently, those that could be at risk for not initiating or early breastfeeding cessation.
BACKGROUND: The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form is a reliable instrument to measure mother's confidence in her ability to breastfeed. The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form has traditionally been used postnatally, but evidence suggests that it can be used antenatally to identify mothers at-risk of requiring additional support to improve breastfeeding outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric characteristics of an antenatal version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form, among pregnant Portuguese women. DESIGN: Methodological prospective study to examine the psychometric characteristics of the antenatal Portuguese version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form. SETTINGS: Two public hospital units in the Northern Portugal. PARTICIPANTS: The sample was comprised of 373 pregnant women recruited at 30-34 gestational weeks. METHODS: The original English version of the antenatal Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form was translated into Portuguese and the Portuguese antenatal version of the scale was tested in a sample of 373 pregnant women. To examine the psychometric characteristics of the Portuguese antenatal version of the scale, the maternal demographic variables and the depressive and anxiety symptomatology of the participants were examined. The predictive validity of the Portuguese antenatal version of the scale was studied according to infant feeding method at one, three, and six months postpartum. RESULTS: The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.92. The antenatal version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form scores were found to be associated with women's parity, educational level, occupational status, time they intend to breastfeed, and previous breastfeeding experience. Also, the antenatal version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form scores significantly predicted exclusive breastfeeding at 1 month postpartum. CONCLUSIONS: Results provided evidence that the antenatal Portuguese version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form is a valid and reliable measure to assess breastfeeding self-efficacy in pregnant women. The antenatal version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form could be a useful tool to assist Portuguese health professionals during routine prenatal care appointments to screen women with lower antenatal breastfeeding self-efficacy and, consequently, those that could be at risk for not initiating or early breastfeeding cessation.