Psychometric Properties of the Breastfeeding Self‐Efficacy Scale‐ Short Form in an Ethnically Diverse U.K. Sample

Abstract

To psychometrically assess the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF) among a multicultural U.K. sample and to examine the relationship between breastfeeding self-efficacy and maternal demographic variables. A cohort study where breastfeeding women completed questionnaires in-hospital and at 4 weeks postpartum. 165 breastfeeding women at the maternity ward in Birmingham Women's Hospital inpatient department. BSES-SF. The Cronbach's alpha co-efficient was .90 and evidence for predictive validity was demonstrated through exclusively breastfeeding mothers at 4 weeks postpartum having significantly higher in-hospital BSES-SF scores (M=49.4, SD=12.9) than mothers who were partially breastfeeding (M=44.7, SD=9.5) or bottle-feeding, M=42.4, SD=11.7; F(2)=1.62, p<.001. Caucasian mothers had significantly lower mean scores (M=44.4, SD=12.1) than those of other ethnicity, M=48.4, SD=12.9, t(163)=-2.06, p=.04. This study builds upon previous research and provides additional evidence suggesting that the BSES-SF has sound psychometric properties and can be utilized among diverse samples, including Southeast Asian mothers.