Measurement and structural invariance of the US version of the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) in a large sample

Martin, Colin R.; Hollins Martin, Caroline J.; Burduli, Ekaterina; Barbosa-Leiker, Celestina; Donovan-Batson, Colleen; Fleming, Susan E.

Abstract

Background: The 10-item Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) is being increasingly used internationally. The use of the measure and the concept has gathered traction in the United States following the development of a US version of the tool. A limitation of previous studies of the measurement characteristics of the BSS-R is modest sample size. Unplanned pregnancy is recognised as being associated with a range of negative birth outcomes, but the relationship to birth satisfaction has received little attention, despite the importance of birth satisfaction to a range of postnatal outcomes.
Aim: The current investigation sought to evaluate the measurement characteristics of the BSS-R in a large postpartum sample.
Methods: Multiple Groups Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) was used to evaluate a series of measurement and structural models of the BSS-R to evaluate fundamental invariance characteristics using planned/unplanned pregnancy status to differentiate groups.
Findings: Complete data from N=2116 women revealed that the US version of the BSS-R offers an excellent fit to data and demonstrates full measurement and structural invariance. Little difference was observed between women on the basis of planned/unplanned pregnancy stratification on measures of birth satisfaction.
Discussion: The established relationship between unplanned pregnancy and negative perinatal outcomes was not found to extend to birth satisfaction in the current study. The BSS-R demonstrated exemplary measurement and structural invariance characteristics.
Conclusion: The current study strongly supports the use of the US version of the BSS-R to compare birth satisfaction across different groups of women with theoretical and measurement confidence.

Citation

Martin, C. R., Hollins Martin, C. J., Burduli, E., Barbosa-Leiker, C., Donovan-Batson, C., & Fleming, S. E. (2017). Measurement and structural invariance of the US version of the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) in a large sample. Women and Birth, 30(4), e172-e178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2016.11.006

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 10, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Dec 7, 2016
• Publication Date: 2017-08
• Deposit Date: Jan 17, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 17, 2018
• Journal: Women and Birth
• Print ISSN: 1871-5192
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 30
• Issue: 4
• Pages: e172-e178
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2016.11.006
• Keywords: Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R), Childbearing women, United States translation, Measurement invariance, Measurement equivalence,
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/1027200