title: Validation of the post-delivery perceived stress inventory.
abstract: This article presents the post-delivery perceived stress inventory (PDPSI) and its psychometric properties. This inventory is unique in that it links the measurement of perceived stress to events experienced during and after delivery. A total of 235 French-speaking, primiparous mothers completed the PDPSI two days after their delivery. To evaluate the predictive validity of the PDPSI on anxiety and depression, participants also completed the EPDS and the STAI two days and six weeks postpartum. The exploratory analysis revealed a 16-item structure divided into five factors: F1: relationship with the child; F2: delivery; F3: fatigue after delivery; F4: breastfeeding; and F5: relationship with the caregivers. The PDPSI demonstrated good internal consistency. Moreover, confirmatory factor analysis produced excellent indices, indicating that the complexity of the PDPSI was taken into account and its fit to the sample. The discriminant analysis showed that the PDPSI was not sensitive to specific changes in the sample making the inventory generalizable to other populations. Predictive validity showed that the scale significantly predicted depression and anxiety in the early postpartum period as well as anxiety six weeks postpartum. Overall, the PDPSI showed excellent psychometric qualities, making it a useful tool for future research-evaluating interventions related to perceived stress during the postpartum period.
authors.affiliation: a High School of Health , University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland , Geneva , Switzerland .
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Razurel
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dupuis
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Antonietti
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sellenet
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Epiney
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010298:Parity; D036801:Parturition / Q000523:psychology*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000592:standards; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*