Prenatal breastfeeding self efficacy scale: validity and reliability study

To determine the validity and the reliability of the Prenatal Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale.

This was a methodologic study. The sample of the research comprised 200 pregnant women who presented to the outpatient clinic of Gynecology between April and June 2015. An introductory information form and the Prenatal Breast Self-Efficacy Scale were used to collect the data. In the analysis of the data, descriptive statistics, content validity index for coverage validity, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis for construct validity, and Cronbach-alfa α for reliability were used.

In the explanatory factor analysis of the scale, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin floor number was 0.84 and the Barlett's sphericity test results were χ²=1812.608; df=171; p<0.001. The contribution of the factors to total variance was 59.06%. According to confirmatory factor analysis of the scale, the Chi-square test result was as follows: χ²=254.23 (p<0.001, SD=146). The model fit indices were as follows: χ²/SD=1.74, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation=0.06, Comparative Fit Index=0.96, Normed Fit Index=0.92, Non-Normed Fit Index=0.96, Goodness of Fit Index=0.88 and Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index=0.85. The internal consistency reliability coefficient of Prenatal Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale was 0.86.

The Prental Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale is a valid and reliable scale which is applicable to Turkish culture and an appropriate tool which can be used by all healthcare workers who wish to design and evaluate interventions to support breastfeeding in the prenatal period.