Background:

Breastfeeding self-efficacy as a construct has been theoretically and empirically linked to exclusive breastfeeding in studies globally using the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF). However, its application in the Middle East and North Africa region is limited, as it has not been validated.

Research Aims:

To psychometrically validate the BSES-SF among a sample of mothers in the United Arab Emirates.

Methods:

We psychometrically evaluated the Arabic version of the BSES-SF using a sample of mothers (N = 457) residing in the United Arab Emirates. We used translation techniques, item-test and item-total correlations, confirmatory factor analysis, tests of reliability, and tests of validity.

Results:

Item-test correlations of scale items ranged from 0.67 to 0.84, while item-total correlations ranged from 0.58 to 0.81. The confirmatory factor model assessed the 14-item scale to be unidimensional with satisfactory model fit indices. Our findings suggested the Arabic-language version of the BSES-SF was a reliable measure (α = 0.95) with strong construct and discriminant validity. BSES-SF scores significantly predicted exclusive breastfeeding (aOR = 1.04; 95% CI [1.02, 1.08]) and exclusive duration (β = .06; 95% CI [0.4, 0.08]), which suggested strong predictive, validity after adjusting for parity, maternal age, maternal education, and study site.

Conclusions:

We have provided rigorous evidence that the BSES-SF is a valid and reliable measure of breastfeeding self-efficacy among Arabic-speaking women in the UAE. Interventions designed specifically to increase breastfeeding self-efficacy among Arabic-speaking women may be a mechanism to increase the suboptimal rates of breastfeeding exclusivity occurring in much of the MENA region.

中文翻译：

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阿拉伯联合酋长国妇女母乳喂养自我效能量表简版的翻译和心理测量评估

背景：

在全球范围内使用母乳喂养自我效能量表简表 (BSES-SF) 进行的研究中，母乳喂养自我效能作为一种结构在理论上和实证上都与纯母乳喂养相关联。但是，由于尚未得到验证，其在中东和北非地区的应用受到限制。

研究目的：

在阿拉伯联合酋长国的母亲样本中进行心理测量验证 BSES-SF。

方法：

我们使用居住在阿拉伯联合酋长国的母亲样本 ( N = 457)对阿拉伯语版本的 BSES-SF 进行了心理测量评估。我们使用了翻译技术、项目测试和项目总相关性、验证性因素分析、可靠性测试和有效性测试。

结果：

量表项目的项目-测试相关性介于 0.67 到 0.84 之间，而项目-总相关性介于 0.58 到 0.81 之间。验证性因素模型将 14 项量表评估为具有令人满意的模型拟合指数的一维量表。我们的研究结果表明，阿拉伯语版本的 BSES-SF 是一种可靠的衡量标准 (α = 0.95)，具有很强的结构效度和判别效度。BSES-SF 评分显着预测纯母乳喂养（aOR = 1.04；95% CI [1.02, 1.08]）和纯母乳喂养持续时间（β = .06；95% CI [0.4, 0.08]），这表明在调整产次、产妇年龄、产妇教育和研究地点。

结论：

我们提供了严格的证据表明 BSES-SF 是衡量阿联酋阿拉伯语女性母乳喂养自我效能的有效且可靠的指标。专门设计用于提高讲阿拉伯语的妇女母乳喂养自我效能的干预措施可能是一种机制，可以增加中东和北非地区大部分地区发生的母乳喂养排他性次优率。