Psychometric properties and validation of the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) in Mexican mothers

Mother-infant bonding disorders have the potential to impact infant development and maternal mental health during the perinatal period. In Mexico, the limited information regarding their prevalence is associated with the absence of validated instruments for their detection. The Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) is one of the most widely used instruments internationally, although it reports high psychometric heterogeneity depending on the context. The objective of this study was to adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of a Mexican version of the PBQ (PBQ-Mx) and to establish its sensitivity and specificity in Mexican mothers.

The PBQ-Mx was administered to 455 women in the first postpartum year. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and an Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis were performed. A ROC curve analysis was also performed on a subsample of 134 mothers with a clinical diagnosis of the quality of mother-infant bonding using the Stafford Interview to determine sensitivity, specificity, and a cut-off point.

The original 25-item structure of the PBQ was confirmed, exhibiting good overall reliability (α = 0.82, Ω = 0.86), though factor 3 (infant-focused anxiety) demonstrated low reliability. IRT analysis confirmed the validity of the theoretical model. The prevalence of mother-infant bonding disorders was 7%. The cut-off point of ≥ 12 demonstrated a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 88% (AUC = 0.980).

The PBQ-Mx demonstrated psychometric properties that support its use as a valid and reliable tool for the early detection and research of mother-infant bonding difficulties in the Mexican postpartum population.