Development and psychometric properties of the maternal ambivalence scale in spanish women
Abstract Background maternal ambivalence, which refers to experiencing mixed emotions about motherhood, like happiness and sadness, is frequent during the perinatal period. Aim Due to the relevance of this topic and the lack of psychometrically-sound instruments to measure it, this study aims to dev...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2022-08-01
|
| Series: | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04956-w |
| _version_ | 1818505126348849152 |
|---|---|
| author | Magdalena Belén Martín-Sánchez Verónica Martínez-Borba Patricia Catalá Jorge Osma Cecilia Peñacoba-Puente Carlos Suso-Ribera |
| author_facet | Magdalena Belén Martín-Sánchez Verónica Martínez-Borba Patricia Catalá Jorge Osma Cecilia Peñacoba-Puente Carlos Suso-Ribera |
| author_sort | Magdalena Belén Martín-Sánchez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background maternal ambivalence, which refers to experiencing mixed emotions about motherhood, like happiness and sadness, is frequent during the perinatal period. Aim Due to the relevance of this topic and the lack of psychometrically-sound instruments to measure it, this study aims to develop and test a measure of maternal ambivalence called the Maternal Ambivalence Scale (MAS). Methods in this cross-sectional, observational study, participants were 1424 Spanish women recruited online who were either pregnant (33%) or recent mothers of children under 2 years (67%). They responded to the MAS and measures of anxiety and depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Analyses included exploratory and confirmatory factor solutions for the MAS, internal consistency estimates (Cronbach’s α) for all scales, as well as bivariate correlations to investigate sources of validity evidence. Comparisons between pregnant and postpartum women were also examined. Results The assumptions for factor analysis about the relationship between items were met (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin’s [KMO] test = 0.90; Barlett’s Chi-square sphericity test = 5853.89, p < .001). A three-factor solution (Doubts, Rejection, and Suppression) for the MAS showed a good model fit both in exploratory (Chi-square = 274.6, p < .001, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA] = 0.059, RMSEA 90% Confidence Interval [CI]=[0.052, 0.066], Comparative Fit Index [CFI] = 0.985, Tucker Lewis Index [TLI] = 0.974) and confirmatory analyses (Chi-square = 428.0, p < .001, RMSEA = 0.062, RMSEA 90% CI=[0.056, 0.068], CFI = 0.977, TLI = 0.971). Doubts (α = 0.83), Rejection (α = 0.70), and Suppression (α = 80) were associated with higher anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as lower life satisfaction (all p < .001). Pregnant women presented greater Rejection (mean difference = 0.30, p = .037, 95% CI=[0.02, 0.58]) and less Suppression (mean difference=-0.47, p = .002, 95% CI=[-0.77,-0.17]) than mothers. Conclusion with this study, we provide clinicians and researchers with a novel tool that successfully captures the complex nature of maternal ambivalence. Given the associations of maternal ambivalence with important outcomes in perinatal women, this tool could be important for the prevention of distress associated with chronic ambivalence and to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions addressing ambivalence. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T21:46:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6c740a5cfcc146e883aa01fb6c7ce4eb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2393 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T21:46:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| spelling | doaj.art-6c740a5cfcc146e883aa01fb6c7ce4eb2022-12-22T01:32:21ZengBMCBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth1471-23932022-08-0122111210.1186/s12884-022-04956-wDevelopment and psychometric properties of the maternal ambivalence scale in spanish womenMagdalena Belén Martín-Sánchez0Verónica Martínez-Borba1Patricia Catalá2Jorge Osma3Cecilia Peñacoba-Puente4Carlos Suso-Ribera5Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Jaume I UniversityDepartment of Basic and Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Jaume I UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Rey Juan Carlos UniversityDepartament of Psychology and Sociology, Universidad de ZaragozaDepartment of Psychology, Rey Juan Carlos UniversityDepartment of Basic and Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Jaume I UniversityAbstract Background maternal ambivalence, which refers to experiencing mixed emotions about motherhood, like happiness and sadness, is frequent during the perinatal period. Aim Due to the relevance of this topic and the lack of psychometrically-sound instruments to measure it, this study aims to develop and test a measure of maternal ambivalence called the Maternal Ambivalence Scale (MAS). Methods in this cross-sectional, observational study, participants were 1424 Spanish women recruited online who were either pregnant (33%) or recent mothers of children under 2 years (67%). They responded to the MAS and measures of anxiety and depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Analyses included exploratory and confirmatory factor solutions for the MAS, internal consistency estimates (Cronbach’s α) for all scales, as well as bivariate correlations to investigate sources of validity evidence. Comparisons between pregnant and postpartum women were also examined. Results The assumptions for factor analysis about the relationship between items were met (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin’s [KMO] test = 0.90; Barlett’s Chi-square sphericity test = 5853.89, p < .001). A three-factor solution (Doubts, Rejection, and Suppression) for the MAS showed a good model fit both in exploratory (Chi-square = 274.6, p < .001, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA] = 0.059, RMSEA 90% Confidence Interval [CI]=[0.052, 0.066], Comparative Fit Index [CFI] = 0.985, Tucker Lewis Index [TLI] = 0.974) and confirmatory analyses (Chi-square = 428.0, p < .001, RMSEA = 0.062, RMSEA 90% CI=[0.056, 0.068], CFI = 0.977, TLI = 0.971). Doubts (α = 0.83), Rejection (α = 0.70), and Suppression (α = 80) were associated with higher anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as lower life satisfaction (all p < .001). Pregnant women presented greater Rejection (mean difference = 0.30, p = .037, 95% CI=[0.02, 0.58]) and less Suppression (mean difference=-0.47, p = .002, 95% CI=[-0.77,-0.17]) than mothers. Conclusion with this study, we provide clinicians and researchers with a novel tool that successfully captures the complex nature of maternal ambivalence. Given the associations of maternal ambivalence with important outcomes in perinatal women, this tool could be important for the prevention of distress associated with chronic ambivalence and to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions addressing ambivalence.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04956-wMaternal ambivalence; pregnancyPostpartumQuestionnaire development psychometric properties |
| spellingShingle | Magdalena Belén Martín-Sánchez Verónica Martínez-Borba Patricia Catalá Jorge Osma Cecilia Peñacoba-Puente Carlos Suso-Ribera Development and psychometric properties of the maternal ambivalence scale in spanish women BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Maternal ambivalence; pregnancy Postpartum Questionnaire development psychometric properties |
| title | Development and psychometric properties of the maternal ambivalence scale in spanish women |
| title_full | Development and psychometric properties of the maternal ambivalence scale in spanish women |
| title_fullStr | Development and psychometric properties of the maternal ambivalence scale in spanish women |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development and psychometric properties of the maternal ambivalence scale in spanish women |
| title_short | Development and psychometric properties of the maternal ambivalence scale in spanish women |
| title_sort | development and psychometric properties of the maternal ambivalence scale in spanish women |
| topic | Maternal ambivalence; pregnancy Postpartum Questionnaire development psychometric properties |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04956-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT magdalenabelenmartinsanchez developmentandpsychometricpropertiesofthematernalambivalencescaleinspanishwomen AT veronicamartinezborba developmentandpsychometricpropertiesofthematernalambivalencescaleinspanishwomen AT patriciacatala developmentandpsychometricpropertiesofthematernalambivalencescaleinspanishwomen AT jorgeosma developmentandpsychometricpropertiesofthematernalambivalencescaleinspanishwomen AT ceciliapenacobapuente developmentandpsychometricpropertiesofthematernalambivalencescaleinspanishwomen AT carlossusoribera developmentandpsychometricpropertiesofthematernalambivalencescaleinspanishwomen |