Breastfeeding Cessation Readiness Scale: A Mixed-Methods Methodological Study for Development and Validation
1Faculty of Health Science, Midwifery Department, Kirklareli University, Turkey.
Summary
A new Breastfeeding Cessation Readiness Scale was developed for mothers planning to stop breastfeeding. This 20-item scale assesses mother and infant readiness, process management, and environmental factors, offering a reliable tool for healthcare providers.
Area of Science:
- Maternal and Child Health
- Psychometrics
- Nursing Research
Background:
- Breastfeeding cessation is a significant maternal-infant transition.
- No standardized tool exists to assess readiness for breastfeeding cessation in infants over 6 months.
- Mothers planning to cease breastfeeding require a validated assessment method.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and psychometrically evaluate the Breastfeeding Cessation Readiness Scale (BCRS).
- To provide a reliable instrument for assessing mothers' readiness for breastfeeding cessation.
Main Methods:
- Exploratory sequential mixed-method design in Turkey.
- Qualitative phase: semi-structured interviews with 14 mothers.
- Quantitative phase: draft scale tested on 272 mothers, with validity and reliability analyses (content validity, EFA, CFA, Cronbach's alpha, test-retest).
Main Results:
- The final 20-item scale comprises four factors: mother readiness, infant readiness, process management, and environmental readiness.
- The scale explains 56.24% of the total variance with high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.863).
- Confirmatory factor analysis supported the four-factor structure and construct validity.
Conclusions:
- The Breastfeeding Cessation Readiness Scale is a psychometrically sound tool for assessing readiness to cease breastfeeding.
- The scale can aid clinical decision-making and individualized counseling by healthcare professionals.
- It may indirectly support prolonged breastfeeding by identifying support needs.
