The Spanish version of the Mothers' Postnatal Sense of Security Scale: Psychometric properties and predictive utility.

Postnatal sense of security is a relevant construct related to several variables of motherhood. However, it has not yet been studied in the Spanish context. The aims were: (a) To analyze the psychometric properties of a Spanish version of the Mothers' Postnatal Sense of Security Scale (PPSS-S); (b) analyze the factors related to mothers' sense of security during the first 2 weeks following childbirth (sociodemographic variables and factors related to maternity); and (c) examine the predictive utility that mothers' sense of security has on symptoms of postpartum depression 6-11 months after childbirth. This was a prospective longitudinal study performed in the first 6-11 months post-partum in four regions of Spain. A total of 928 mothers whose mean age was 33.67 years (standard deviation = 4.54) participated. The confirmatory factor analysis showed adequate adjustment to the original structure (χ2 = 17,272.79, df = 153, p < .001; Tucker-Lewis index = 0.98; comparative fit index = 0.98; root mean square error of approximation = 0.058 [0.053-0.063])and the overall internal consistency was 0.89. Direct relationships were shown between women' sense of security and already having had a child, the absence of postpartum health complications (either in the mother or the newborn) and receiving consistent information from healthcare professionals. Our results showed adequate evidence for the reliability and validity of the Spanish version of the PPSS-S. Understanding mothers' sense of security during the early months of motherhood, as well as related factors in the postpartum period, will allow health professionals to implement preventive measures to promote mental health and could help reduce symptoms of postpartum depression.

Factors Related to the Intra-Partner Postnatal Sense of Security in a Spanish Sample.

BACKGROUND: The fathers' sense of security and their related factors during the process of parenthood remains largely unexplored. The objectives were to analyse: the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Parent's Postnatal Sense of Security scale used for fathers, and the factors related to fathers' sense of security during the postpartum period. METHODS: A total of 583 fathers participated. The fathers' version of the questionnaire was adapted for Spanish speakers. The psychometric properties of the instrument and its relationship with the mother's sense of security were considered. FINDINGS: The results showed that the data fit well with the original model (TLI = 0.98, CFI = 0.98, and RMSEA = 0.05). The fathers' sense of security was associated with previously having become a father (t = -2.39, p = .02), the level of state anxiety (r = -0.34; p < .01) and trait anxiety (r = -0.24; p < .01), as well as the sense of security of their partners (r = 0.55, p < .001). In the regression analysis, the mothers' sense of security construct provided the greatest explanation of the model. DISCUSSION: The results of this study highlight the importance of considering the family unit in pre-, intra-, and postnatal education in order to increase the sense of security of both parents and reduce their anxiety levels. APPLICATION TO PRACTICE: This study provides Spanish healthcare professionals with access to a scale for assessing fathers' sense of security in the immediate postpartum period and allows them to identify needs in the process of becoming parents, emphasising the inclusion of both parents in any intervention.

The Spanish version of the Fatigue Assessment Scale: reliability and validity assessment in postpartum women.

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is the most widely reported symptom by women during pregnancy, labour, the postpartum period, and early parenting. The objective was to translate the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) into Spanish and assess its psychometric properties. METHODS: Instrumental Design. The FAS was translated into Spanish (FAS-e) using forward and back translation. A convenience sample was constituted with 870 postpartum women recruited at discharge from 17 public hospitals in Eastern Spain. Data was obtained from clinical records and self-administered questionnaires at discharge. Internal consistency, factor structure, comparisons between known groups and correlations with other variables were assessed. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .80. Findings on the dimensionality of the FAS-e scale indicated that it was sufficiently unidimensional. FAS-e scores were higher among women who had undergone caesarean births (p < .05), had a higher level of postpartum pain (p < .01), experienced difficulties during breastfeeding (p < .01) and had lower levels of self-efficacy for breastfeeding (p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: An equivalent Spanish version of the FAS was obtained with good reliability and validity properties. FAS-e is an appropriate tool to measure postpartum fatigue.