Abbreviated Version of the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale: Evidence of Validity and Reliability

Abstract

The Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale has been widely applied in research on the subject. There are no known studies that have validated a shortened version of this instrument in Brazil. This study aimed to propose a shortened version of the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale and examine its evidence of validity and reliability. This methodological study was carried out on a sample of 937 pregnant women in the Primary Health Care of Montes Claros, Minas Gerais - Brazil. Construct validity and reliability were measured. A trifactor version with 15 items was obtained, which presented satisfactory adjustment indexes. Convergent and discriminant validities were close to the recommended ones. The scale differentiated attachment scores according to different sample characteristics. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.878) and composite reliability (> 0.70) were appropriate. The abbreviated Brazilian version of the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale presented satisfactory psychometric attributes for application to pregnant women in Primary Health Care.