The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF): a validation study in Iranian mothers

Payam Amini,Reza Omani-Samani,Mostafa Hosseini,Amir Almasi-Hashiani,Mahdi Sepidarkish,Saman Maroufizadeh

doi:10.1186/s13104-019-4656-7

Abstract

ObjectiveThe Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF) is a widely used instrument that measures breastfeeding self-efficacy. This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the Persian version of BSES-SF in Iranian mothers.ResultsThe English version of BSES-SF was translated into Persian using the standard forward–backward translation procedure. No changes (i.e., neither delete nor rephrase the items) were made to the BSES-SF items. The mean BSES-SF total score was 50.80 ± 8.91. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for internal consistency for the BSES-SF was 0.910. The confirmatory factor analysis results provided evidence for unidimensionality of the scale (χ2/df = 4.42; CFI = 0.96; NFI = 0.95; IFI = 0.96; RMSEA = 0.095 and SRMR = 0.054). The divergent validity of the BSES-SF was proved via a significant negative correlation with scores of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (r = − 0.273, P < 0.001). In sum, the Persian version of the BSES-SF is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring breastfeeding self-efficacy in Iranian mothers.Trial registration number This was a cross-sectional study (not clinical trial).

Highlights

Breastfeeding is the optimal method of feeding and nurturing infants [1]
This study examined the reliability and validity of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale (BSES)-SF in a sample of Iranian mothers
The unidimensionality of the BSES-Short Form (BSES-SF) has been documented via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in Chinese [22], and Hong Kong Chinese [24] versions and our results are consistent with them

Summary

Results

Question 5 (‘Manage the breastfeeding situation to my satisfaction’) had the lowest mean item score (mean = 3.00, SD = 1.06). The mean total score was 50.80 (SD = 8.91; range 14–69). All corrected item-total correlations were within acceptable range except for Item 5 (“Manage the breastfeeding situation to my satisfaction”). This item had a corrected item-total correlation of 0.270. The mean corrected item-total correlation for the 14 items was 0.624. The mean interitem correlation was 0.428, with values ranging from 0.068 to 0.752. According to the inter-item correlation matrix, Item 1 and Item 5 had low association with other items

Introduction

Main text

14. Tell when my baby is finished breastfeeding

Discussion