Prenatal Attachment Inventory: Adaptation and Validation in the Indian Context

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Cross-cultural Psychology

Background:

• Maternal-Fetal Attachment (MFA) research in India lacks culturally validated instruments.
• The Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI) is a key tool for assessing MFA, based on attachment theory.
• Adapting the PAI for the Indian context is crucial for accurate research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To translate and validate the Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI) into Malayalam.
• To develop a culturally sensitive measure for Maternal-Fetal Attachment (MFA) in India.
• To address the gap in MFA research within the Indian population.

Main Methods:

• The PAI was translated into Malayalam and culturally adapted with expert input.
• New items focusing on maternal self-care, fetal interaction, and resource use were added.
• Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Cronbach's alpha were used for validation in 250 pregnant women in Kerala.

Main Results:

• The Content Validity Ratio (CVR) was 0.95, indicating strong content validity.
• Initial CFA showed acceptable fit, with improved indices after item refinement (CFI=0.843, TLI=0.811, SRMR=0.0591, RMSEA=0.0802).
• The Malayalam PAI demonstrated high internal consistency with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.868.

Conclusions:

• The Malayalam PAI is a reliable and culturally appropriate instrument for measuring MFA in India.
• This validated tool supports future research and interventions aimed at enhancing maternal and fetal health.
• The study provides a much-needed psychometric tool for the Indian context.