Validity and reliability of the French version of the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (F-BSS-R)

The Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) is a 10-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess satisfaction with the birth experience, an important aspect contributing to the well-being of birthing women, which can have potential long-term consequences for both maternal and infant health. While the BSS-R has been validated in several languages, it has not yet been validated in French. This study aimed to validate the French version of the BSS-R (F-BSS-R) in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.

We performed forward-backward translation and cultural adaptation. Data were collected from 157 participants one week postpartum at a Swiss University Hospital, while obstetric data were extracted from hospital records. Two outliers were excluded, resulting in data from 155 participants for analysis. We applied confirmatory factor analysis to assess construct validity and also evaluated divergent validity. Internal consistency was determined using Cronbach's alpha.

The three-factor, second order, and bifactor models showed good fit indices for the data. The F-BSS-R total score indicated good internal consistency, and the quality of care (QC) subscale also showed good internal consistency. In contrast, stress experienced (SE) and women's personal attributes (WA) subscales had moderate and low internal consistency, respectively. Moreover, the F-BSS-R total score demonstrated good divergent validity.

The F-BSS-R total score showed good internal validity and reliability to measure birth satisfaction in French-speaking Switzerland. We recommend using the total score to assess birth satisfaction. The QC subscale score can be used and interpreted with confidence as a distinct aspect. In contrast, the observed sum scores for the SE and WA subscales are not sufficiently reliable for standalone use.