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The Postpartum Support Questionnaire: reliability and validity
M C Logsdon1, W Usui, J C Birkimer
1Spalding University, USA.
Journal of Nursing Measurement
|January 1, 1996
Summary
The Postpartum Support Questionnaire, measuring informational, material, emotional, and comparison support, demonstrates strong reliability and validity for assessing perinatal health. This tool aids in understanding crucial support systems for mothers post-childbirth.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal Health
- Psychometrics
- Social Support Theory
Background:
- Social support is a critical factor in perinatal health.
- Previous research identified four key categories of support: informational, material, emotional, and comparison.
- A validated instrument was needed to measure these support types in the postpartum period.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate the Postpartum Support Questionnaire (PSQ).
- To assess the psychometric properties of the PSQ in a postpartum population.
- To confirm the four-factor structure of social support.
Main Methods:
- Development of the PSQ based on established support categories.
- Psychometric evaluation using data from four studies (N = 207).
- Reliability (internal consistency, test-retest) and validity (concurrent) analyses were performed.
Main Results:
- The PSQ demonstrated excellent internal consistency (alpha = .90–.94).
- Test-retest reliability ranged from .69–.79 for total scores.
- Concurrent validity with the Personal Resource Questionnaire was moderate (r = .42–.48).
- Confirmatory factor analysis supported the four-factor structure.
Conclusions:
- The Postpartum Support Questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring postpartum social support.
- The findings support the four-category model of social support in the postpartum context.
- Further research is needed to explore the separate utility of each support category.