title: The factor structure of the perception of birth scale.
abstract: The factor structure of the perception of birth scale (POBS) was explored using a sample of 320 women who had vaginal or unplanned cesarean deliveries. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a 25-item instrument with five factor-based subscales: Labor Experience, Delivery Experience, Delivery Outcome, Partner Participation, and Awareness. The total POBS demonstrated adequate internal consistency reliability, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of .85. The new 25-item version of POBS can be used to measure selected aspects of a woman's perception of the birth experience. Additional research with samples large enough to permit confirmatory factor analysis is recommended.
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fawcett
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Knauth
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*