The intention for cesarean section scale: Turkish validity and reliability study

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Psychometrics
• Public Health

Background:

• Cesarean section rates are rising globally.
• Understanding maternal birth preferences is key to reducing unnecessary cesarean births.
• The Theory-Based Intention for cesarean section scale measures factors influencing delivery choices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the Turkish validity and reliability of the Theory-Based Intention for cesarean section scale.
• To provide a culturally adapted instrument for assessing birth intentions in Turkey.

Main Methods:

• Methodological study with 300 pregnant women in Turkey.
• Translation and back-translation for language validity.
• Content validity assessed by 9 experts; pilot testing with 30 women.
• Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis for construct validity.
• Cronbach's Alpha and test-retest for reliability.

Main Results:

• Exploratory Factor Analysis identified a 24-item, five-factor structure.
• Confirmatory Factor Analysis confirmed good model fit.
• Cronbach's Alpha was 0.76, indicating good internal consistency.
• High item-total correlations and test-retest reliability were observed.

Conclusions:

• The Turkish version of the Theory-Based Intention for cesarean section scale is valid and reliable.
• This tool can be effectively used with Turkish pregnant women.
• It aids in understanding and potentially modifying birth intentions to reduce cesarean rates.