Development and psychometric evaluation of a postpartum stress scale in early postpartum mothers

The early postpartum period is a crucial phase in a mother's adaptation to caregiving demands, physical recovery, and social pressures. In Indonesia, postpartum stress is further shaped by cultural norms, extended family involvement, and societal expectations. Despite the importance of these factors, measurement tools specifically tailored for the early postpartum phase in the local cultural context are limited. This study aims to develop a Postpartum Stress Scale to assess stress levels in early postpartum mothers, ensuring its construct validity and reliability. The research was conducted in two stages: the first stage utilized qualitative Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with experts to establish construct and content validity, while the second stage employed Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis on data collected from 223 early postpartum mothers. The results indicated a robust four-factor structure with strong content validity and satisfactory psychometric properties, including high construct reliability and good model fit. The developed scale offers a reliable, multidimensional tool for assessing postpartum stress and holds promise for use in clinical practice and maternal mental health research.