Translation, Validation, and Psychometric Properties of Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale—Short Form Among Iranian Women

Asgarian, Azadeh MSc
Hashemi, Maryam MSc
Pournikoo, Mansoureh MSc
Mirazimi, Tayebe-Sadat MSc
Zamanian, Hadi MD, PhD
Amini-Tehrani, Mohammadali MSc

¹154202 Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Izadi Hospital, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
²154202 School of Health, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
³48439 Health Psychology and Behavior Medicine Research Group, Students’ Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
⁴Department of Psychology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Hadi Zamanian, MD, PhD., Assistant Professor, Health Education and Promotion, School of Health, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Lavasani St., Qom, 3713649373, Iran. Emails: [email protected]; [email protected]

Received March 27, 2019

Accepted September 26, 2019

Journal of Human Lactation 36(2):p 227-235, May 2020. | DOI: 10.1177/0890334419883572

Background

Iranian researchers have investigated breastfeeding self-efficacy and its related factors. However, there is no valid and reliable tool for assessing the breastfeeding self-efficacy of Iranian Farsi-speaking women.

Research aim

To examine the validity and reliability of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale—Short Form among Iranian Farsi-speaking mothers.

Methods

We conducted this cross-sectional study at Izadi teaching hospital in Qom, Iran. Using convenience sampling, we recruited 174 mothers, who completed the questionnaire on the first postnatal day. A forward–backward translation method was used to translate the scale. Cronbach’s alpha and item-total characteristics were examined to test reliability. Construct validity was evaluated via principal component analysis (PCA), as well as known-groups validity.

Results

The mean (standard deviation) of sample age was 28.33 (5.38). The mean (standard deviation) of breastfeeding self-efficacy score was 54.32 (10.50), ranging from 24–70. Cronbach’s alpha (.92), inter-item correlations (.21–.72), and corrected item-total correlations (.44–.75) indicated the adequate reliability of the scale. PCA yielded one component with an eigenvalue of 6.97, explaining 49.8% of the total variance. There was no significant difference in the self-efficacy scores between primiparous and multiparous women. Breastfeeding self-efficacy was not significantly different between the groups in terms of the demographic characteristics.

Conclusion

The Farsi version of the Breastfeeding Self-efficacy Scale—Short Form is a valid and reliable instrument for Iranian Farsi-speaking mothers, with sound psychometric properties per the other studies worldwide.