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Re-Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Maternal–Fetal Attachment Scale in a Hungarian Sample

Andrek, Andrea ; Kekecs, Zoltan LU orcid ; Hadhazi, Eva ; Boukydis, Zack and Varga, Katalin (2016) In JOGNN - Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing 45(5). p.15-25
Abstract

Objective To explore the factor structure of the Maternal–Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS) and investigate its psychosocial and demographic correlates in a Hungarian sample. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Sonography clinic in a metropolitan area. Participants One hundred fourteen women over the age of 18 years in the second or third trimesters of pregnancy. Methods Participants completed the Hungarian version of the MFAS and provided information on demographic, socioeconomic, and pregnancy-related factors. Results The internal consistency of the MFAS total scale was acceptable (Cronbach's alpha = .87). However, the reliability of the five subscales was low (alpha coefficients between .57 and .74), and the original five-factor model... (More)

Objective To explore the factor structure of the Maternal–Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS) and investigate its psychosocial and demographic correlates in a Hungarian sample. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Sonography clinic in a metropolitan area. Participants One hundred fourteen women over the age of 18 years in the second or third trimesters of pregnancy. Methods Participants completed the Hungarian version of the MFAS and provided information on demographic, socioeconomic, and pregnancy-related factors. Results The internal consistency of the MFAS total scale was acceptable (Cronbach's alpha = .87). However, the reliability of the five subscales was low (alpha coefficients between .57 and .74), and the original five-factor model was not supported by the factor analyses. Married mothers had higher scores on the MFAS than participants who were unmarried, and uncertainty about the sex of the fetus was associated with lower attachment scores. Furthermore, gestational age showed a positive correlation with MFAS scores. No significant association was found between the total score on the MFAS and such factors as age, income, or education of the parents; whether the pregnancy was planned; method of conception; number of children born previously; prior perinatal losses; and circumstances of the mother's own birth. Conclusion Our study showed that marital status, uncertainty about the sex of the fetus, and gestational age were associated with maternal–fetal attachment; however, more detailed analysis was not possible because of the instability of the subscales of the instrument. Further research is warranted on the underlying factors related to maternal–fetal attachment.

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author
; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
maternal–fetal attachment, Maternal–Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS), measurement of prenatal attachment, motherhood
in
JOGNN - Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing
volume
45
issue
5
pages
15 - 25
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:27486088
  • scopus:85002850130
ISSN
0884-2175
DOI
10.1016/j.jogn.2016.05.005
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
ff470ff0-4bdc-440e-843a-d3e1bec31836
date added to LUP
2017-03-27 15:50:03
date last changed
2024-05-12 10:58:10
@article{ff470ff0-4bdc-440e-843a-d3e1bec31836,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objective To explore the factor structure of the Maternal–Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS) and investigate its psychosocial and demographic correlates in a Hungarian sample. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Sonography clinic in a metropolitan area. Participants One hundred fourteen women over the age of 18 years in the second or third trimesters of pregnancy. Methods Participants completed the Hungarian version of the MFAS and provided information on demographic, socioeconomic, and pregnancy-related factors. Results The internal consistency of the MFAS total scale was acceptable (Cronbach's alpha = .87). However, the reliability of the five subscales was low (alpha coefficients between .57 and .74), and the original five-factor model was not supported by the factor analyses. Married mothers had higher scores on the MFAS than participants who were unmarried, and uncertainty about the sex of the fetus was associated with lower attachment scores. Furthermore, gestational age showed a positive correlation with MFAS scores. No significant association was found between the total score on the MFAS and such factors as age, income, or education of the parents; whether the pregnancy was planned; method of conception; number of children born previously; prior perinatal losses; and circumstances of the mother's own birth. Conclusion Our study showed that marital status, uncertainty about the sex of the fetus, and gestational age were associated with maternal–fetal attachment; however, more detailed analysis was not possible because of the instability of the subscales of the instrument. Further research is warranted on the underlying factors related to maternal–fetal attachment.</p>}},
  author       = {{Andrek, Andrea and Kekecs, Zoltan and Hadhazi, Eva and Boukydis, Zack and Varga, Katalin}},
  issn         = {{0884-2175}},
  keywords     = {{maternal–fetal attachment; Maternal–Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS); measurement of prenatal attachment; motherhood}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{15--25}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{JOGNN - Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing}},
  title        = {{Re-Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Maternal–Fetal Attachment Scale in a Hungarian Sample}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2016.05.005}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jogn.2016.05.005}},
  volume       = {{45}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}