Patricia Leahy-Warren1, Helen Mulcahy2, Elaine Lehane3. 1. School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Ireland. Electronic address: Patricia.leahy@ucc.ie. 2. School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Ireland. Electronic address: helen.mulcahy@ucc.ie. 3. School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Ireland. Electronic address: e.lehane@ucc.ie.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Social support facilitates a woman's transition to motherhood. This major developmental transition can be stressful as it includes adaptation of self as well as learning new infant care practice skills. Although a number of instruments have been developed to measure social support, none have been developed or underpinned by theory in the context of perinatal infant care practices. AIM: To develop a reliable and valid instrument to measure social support for new mothers in the perinatal period. METHODS: Phase 1 involved the development of instrument structure and content. Constructs to be measured were defined through an analysis of relevant theoretical and empirical literature. Phase 2 established the psychometric properties of the functional domain of the PICSS. Exploratory factor analyses and principal Component Analyses were undertaken with a sample of first-time mothers (n = 371) from postnatal wards of a large maternity hospital. Item reduction and Cronbach's alpha reliability tests were performed. The structural social support domain was not amenable to psychometric testing. RESULTS: Exploratory Factor Analyses and Principal Component Analyses of the functional domain resulted in a logically coherent 19-item, two-factor solution. The first factor 'Supporting Presence' has nine items (Cronbach's alpha = 0.90) and the second factor 'Practical Support' has ten items (Cronbach's alpha = 0.86). CONCLUSIONS: The PICSS is a coherent and valid measure of social support for new mothers in the postnatal period in the context of infant care practices.
BACKGROUND: Social support facilitates a woman's transition to motherhood. This major developmental transition can be stressful as it includes adaptation of self as well as learning new infant care practice skills. Although a number of instruments have been developed to measure social support, none have been developed or underpinned by theory in the context of perinatal infant care practices. AIM: To develop a reliable and valid instrument to measure social support for new mothers in the perinatal period. METHODS: Phase 1 involved the development of instrument structure and content. Constructs to be measured were defined through an analysis of relevant theoretical and empirical literature. Phase 2 established the psychometric properties of the functional domain of the PICSS. Exploratory factor analyses and principal Component Analyses were undertaken with a sample of first-time mothers (n = 371) from postnatal wards of a large maternity hospital. Item reduction and Cronbach's alpha reliability tests were performed. The structural social support domain was not amenable to psychometric testing. RESULTS: Exploratory Factor Analyses and Principal Component Analyses of the functional domain resulted in a logically coherent 19-item, two-factor solution. The first factor 'Supporting Presence' has nine items (Cronbach's alpha = 0.90) and the second factor 'Practical Support' has ten items (Cronbach's alpha = 0.86). CONCLUSIONS: The PICSS is a coherent and valid measure of social support for new mothers in the postnatal period in the context of infant care practices.
Authors: Lam Duc Nguyen; Long Hoang Nguyen; Ly Thi Ninh; Ha Thu Thi Nguyen; Anh Duy Nguyen; Linh Gia Vu; Cuong Tat Nguyen; Giang Thu Vu; Linh Phuong Doan; Carl A Latkin; Cyrus S H Ho; Roger C M Ho Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-05-18 Impact factor: 3.390