The Effect of Breastfeeding Counseling Given With Motivational Interviewing Technique on Breastfeeding Problems and...

Breastfeeding difficulties and maternal anxiety are common, and negatively affect outcomes for both mother and infant.

We aimed to examine how breastfeeding counseling performed by using motivational interviewing techniques will affect breastfeeding problems and maternal anxiety among mothers with infants aged 1-3 months.

This randomized controlled trial included 60 mothers with breastfeeding difficulties, randomly assigned to intervention (n = 30) and control (n = 30) groups. The intervention group received four motivational interviewing-based counseling sessions in addition to routine care, while the control group received routine care only. Data were collected pre- and post-intervention using the Personal Information Form, Breastfeeding Questions Assessment Scale (BQAS), and State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-I).

Exclusive breastfeeding increased significantly in the intervention group and decreased in the control group (χ² = 15.458, p < 0.001, Cramér's V = 0.508). A significant group-by-time interaction was observed for BQAS scores, F(1,58) = 7.512, p = 0.008, η²p = 0.115, indicating greater improvement in the intervention group, although both groups showed significant reductions (control: p < 0.001, d = 0.971; intervention: p < 0.001, d = 1.900). Posttest STAI-I scores favored the intervention group, t(58) = 3.494, p = 0.001, d = 0.902, while the interaction was not significant, F(1,58) = 0.616, p = 0.436; both groups showed reduced anxiety. The proportion of non-anxious mothers was higher in the intervention group (χ² = 4.356, p = 0.036).

Motivational interviewing-based breastfeeding counseling reduced breastfeeding difficulties and maternal anxiety; further randomized trials are needed.