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Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
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Development of perceived prenatal maternal stress scale
P Sreeja Gangadharan1, S P K Jena2
1Assistant Professor, School of Business Studies and Social Sciences, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, Karnataka; Research Scholar, Department of Psychology, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India.
Indian Journal of Public Health
|September 26, 2019
Summary
A new scale, the Perceived Prenatal Maternal Stress Scale (PPNMSS), effectively measures maternal stress during pregnancy. This tool aids in early detection and intervention for pregnant women experiencing stress.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Maternal Health
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Pregnancy involves significant physiological and psychological changes.
- Adverse life events can exacerbate pregnancy-related stress, impacting maternal well-being.
- Existing instruments lack comprehensiveness in measuring prenatal maternal stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a multidimensional scale for assessing prenatal maternal stress (PNMS).
Main Methods:
- Item development and content validity assessment.
- Pilot and field testing of the Perceived PNMS Scale (PPNMSS) with 356 pregnant women.
- Exploratory factor analysis to determine scale structure.
Main Results:
- The final 15-item PPNMSS identified four key factors: perceived social support, pregnancy-specific concerns, intimate partner relations, and financial concerns.
- Reliability was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha.
- Convergent and divergent validity were established against established stress and well-being measures.
Conclusions:
- The PPNMSS is an efficient and comprehensive tool for measuring PNMS.
- Facilitates early identification of stress and depression in pregnant women.
- Supports timely healthcare interventions for improved maternal outcomes.
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