Psychometric properties of the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) for US mothers

Barbosa-Leiker, Celestina; Hollins Martin, Caroline J.; Martin, Colin R.; Fleming, Susan

Abstract

Objective: The aims of this study were to continue the scale development process of the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) by refining the scale to make it culturally relevant for US participants, examining the factor structure of the BSS-R, and describing the level of birth satisfaction in a sample of US mothers. Background: The Birth Satisfaction Scale (BSS) was developed in the UK to assess satisfaction of the childbearing women’s experiences of labour and its outcomes. One of the goals of the development of the BSS was to make comparisons across cultures. Methods: One hundred and eighty-one first-time US mothers participated in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine a one-factor higher-order model containing three lower-order factors. The higher-order factor was hypothesised to be Experience of childbearing; the lower-order factors were hypothesised as Stress, Quality of Care and Women’s attributes. Results: The results of the higher-order factor model indicated good fit, χ2 = 37.72, p = .22; comparative fit index (CFI) = .99; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .03; standardised root mean square residual (SRMR) = .04. Cronbach’s α indicated the subscales and total scale were reliable for the US sample (α ranged from .74 to .89). The BSS-R total score was 15.52 (SD = 8.35), and the stress, quality of care, and women’s attributes subscales were 7.15 (SD = 3.80), 4.61 (SD = 3.83) and 3.79 (SD = 2.26), respectively. Conclusion: The BSS-R can provide maternal health professionals and researchers with an instrument to quantify childbearing women’s birthing satisfaction, which in turn can assist in heightening the overall patient care experience.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 16, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Apr 10, 2015
• Publication Date: Oct 20, 2015
• Deposit Date: Jul 24, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 24, 2015
• Print ISSN: 0264-6838
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-672X
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 504-511
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2015.1024211
• Keywords: birth satisfaction; intrapartum care; maternal–infant care; ; psychometrics
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/8895
• Publisher URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02646838.2015.1024211?journalCode=cjri20
• Contract Date: Jul 24, 2015