Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation to Breastfeed Scale: Adaptation and Validation for Portuguese Population

Abstract

Introduction: The pregnant motivation interferes in decision to initiate breastfeeding. Between the desire to breastfeed and the practice, motivation is identified as favorable or unfavorable factor in maternal decision process. It's important to assess motivation on the Portuguese pregnant women because it's an important determinant to breastfeed. The study of the motivation in pregnant women for breastfeeding helps us to understand the reasons that influence this behavior and consequently promote some actions to promote BF. So, does Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation Scale (IEMBS) to breastfeed keeps the psychometric characteristics when applied to the Portuguese population, using the cognate theory? Objective: To translate, adapt and validate the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation to Breastfeed Scale (IEMBS) on the Portuguese population. Methods: The study was made in two phases: 1. Translation by independent translators, reviewed by experts and applied to 10 mothers to assess cultural adaptation. 2. Validity of content using a factorial principal components analysis using varimax rotation on a sample of 300 Portuguese women, mean age 30.21, 75% were primiparous, 84% living with a partner in urban areas. Results: Tool was equivalent in semantic terms, demonstrating good internal consistency levels (totalα=0.854). Kurtosis coefficients showed leptokurtic distribution. Factor analysis resulted 4 factors explaining 66.672% total variance: F1 explains 31.662% total variance, α=0.868; F2 explains 16.421% total variance, α=0.805; F3 explains 10.707% total variance, α=0.806; F4 explains 7.882% total variance, α=0.745. KMO=0.838; Bartlett T (X2=2102.750; p<0.001); commonalities0.471-0.832. Conclusion: The study reveals that the translated version of Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation scale to breastfeed can be a valid and reliable measurement tool, in assessing the motivation to breastfeed to the Portuguese population. The instrument presents one extrinsic motivation factor and 3 intrinsic motivation factors: desire for self-control, concerns about baby's health and concerns about mother's health.