Psychometric properties of the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale and the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire in three German samples

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Ariane Göbel - , University of Hamburg, MSH Medical School Hamburg (Author)
  • Lisa Lüersen - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Eva Asselmann - , HMU Health and Medical University (Author)
  • Petra Arck - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Anke Diemert - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Susan Garthus-Niegel - , Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Author)
  • Susanne Mudra - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Julia Martini - , Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (Author)

Abstract

Background: Forming an emotional bond towards the infant is an important developmental aspect of the mother-child relationship. Two questionnaires frequently used for the assessment of mother-infant bonding, namely the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS) and the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ), have shown inconclusive psychometric properties. To ensure comparability of results across studies, it is crucial to examine the replicability of psychometric properties and previously proposed factor structures of measurements when adapted to other languages. Aim: The study aim was to investigate the psychometric properties of the German versions of both MPAS and PBQ, across three different German-speaking study samples. Methods: Maternal data from three longitudinal studies from Hamburg, Germany (PAULINE-PRINCE study, N = 229), and Dresden, Germany (MARI study, N = 286; DREAM study, N = 1,968), were used to investigate the psychometric properties (descriptive statistics, item difficulty, inter-item correlations) and the factorial structure (confirmatory factor analysis, CFA; principal axis factoring, PAF) of both MPAS and PBQ. Correlations with maternal-fetal bonding, adult romantic attachment style, attachment style to one’s own mother, postpartum depressive symptoms, and education level were investigated. Results: Across the three samples, both MPAS and PBQ showed convincing results regarding the psychometric properties for their total scores, with satisfying to excellent internal consistencies. A strong correlation between the MPAS and PBQ total scores was observed (r=-.71, p <.001). In PAF, for both questionnaires, factor structures on subscale level differed across samples and assessment points. For MPAS and PBQ total scores, significant small to medium-sized associations in the expected directions with maternal-fetal bonding and depressive symptoms, as well as for MPAS with adult romantic attachment style, and for PBQ with attachment towards one’s own mother were found. In two samples, higher educated participants reported less optimal MIB. Conclusion: The results across the three included samples provide evidence for the validity of the construct assessed with the German adaptations of both MPAS and PBQ. However, the factor analytical results on subscale level highlight the need to further investigate the concept of mother-infant bonding in the first year after birth as well as to develop instruments applicable for use in clinical and community samples with satisfying psychometric properties.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number789
JournalBMC pregnancy and childbirth
Volume24
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 39592992
ORCID /0000-0002-7472-674X/work/175220691

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • DREAM study, Factor structure, MARI Study, Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale, Mother-infant bonding, PAULINE Study, Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire, PRINCE study, Psychometric properties, Mother-infant-bonding, Maternal postnatal attachment scale, postpartum bonding questionnaire, psychometric properties, factor structure, DREAM study, MARI study, PAULINE study, PRINCE study