Preliminary Psychometric Properties of the General Mattering Scale in a Portuguese Sample of Postpartum Women

Abstract

Background: Mattering is the perception of being important to other people and it can play an important role in women’s experience during the postpartum period. This study aims to validate the General Mattering Scale (GMS) to the Portuguese population in a sample of postpartum women and to assess its psychometric characteristics. Method: A total of 532 women in the postpartum period completed an online survey. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to evaluate the one-factor structure of the GMS. Results: The unidimensional structure of the GMS was confirmed. This instrument had a high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha of .87). General mattering was negatively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms, and it was positively correlated with self-esteem and social support. Conclusions: Our findings revealed that the Portuguese version of the GMS is a reliable, valid and adequate measure of general mattering among Portuguese postpartum women.