Reliability and validity of the Preterm Infant Feeding Survey: instrument development and testing
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Published on: April 19, 2024
Donna A Dowling1, Elizabeth Madigan, Mary K Anthony
1Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA. dad10@case.edu
Insights
Researchers developed the Preterm Infant Feeding Survey (PIFS) to understand mothers' feeding choices for preterm infants. This new tool helps identify factors influencing decisions, aiming to improve breastfeeding support for high-risk infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal nursing
- Maternal-infant health
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Limited existing instruments assess maternal attitudes toward feeding decisions for preterm infants.
- Understanding these attitudes is crucial for developing effective breastfeeding interventions.
- Preterm infants present unique feeding challenges requiring specialized support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and psychometrically test the Preterm Infant Feeding Survey (PIFS).
- To create a reliable instrument for assessing maternal feeding decision factors in preterm infants.
- To provide a tool for improving breastfeeding outcomes in this vulnerable population.
Main Methods:
- Adapted the Breastfeeding Attrition Prediction Scale to create the 78-item, five-subscale PIFS.
- Administered the PIFS to 105 mothers of preterm infants upon hospital admission.
- Utilized Cronbach's alpha for reliability and factor analysis for construct validity.
Main Results:
- Individual subscale reliability (Cronbach's alpha) ranged from .75 to .82, indicating good internal consistency.
- Factor analysis confirmed a five-factor structure, supporting the survey's construct validity.
- The PIFS demonstrated suitability for assessing maternal feeding decision factors.
Conclusions:
- The PIFS is the first instrument designed to examine factors influencing feeding decisions of mothers with high-risk preterm infants.
- This survey provides valuable insights for planning targeted interventions to enhance breastfeeding.
- Further psychometric validation with larger, diverse samples is recommended for broader applicability.
Abstract:
No instruments have been located that examine attitudes concerning feeding decisions of mothers of preterm infants. The purpose of this study was to describe the development and psychometric testing of the Preterm Infant Feeding Survey (PIFS). The PIFS was adapted from the Breastfeeding Attrition Prediction Scale. The five-subscale, 78-item PIFS was tested with 105 mothers of preterm infants shortly after hospital admission. Individual subscale Cronbach's alpha values ranged from .75 to .82. Factor analysis demonstrated a five-factor solution. The PIFS is the first instrument to examine factors that contribute to feeding decisions of mothers of high-risk preterm infants; this knowledge will support the planning of interventions to improve breastfeeding outcomes for this population. Further psychometric testing with larger samples is recommended.
