Validity and reliability testing of the Hung Postpartum Stress Scale.

Abstract

This article presents the design and validation of the Hung Postpartum Stress Scale, a device that was initially constructed to measure postpartum stress during the 42 days of the postpartum period after women's discharges from clinics and hospitals. A data collection at the 3rd week of the postpartum period included 512 postpartum women. They were recruited in the study using proportional stratified quota sampling by birth rate from clinics and hospitals in Kaohsiung City in the southern part of Taiwan. Exploratory common factor analysis, confirmatory oblique item clustering, and second-order factor analysis were applied. Three dimensions of postpartum stress were found: maternity role attainment, lack of social support, and body changes. Moreover, the generalizability of the factors across subgroups within the population was examined. The Hung Postpartum Stress Scale's use in practice and research is discussed.