Maternal Post-Attachment Scale: Validation Studies to the Portuguese Population

Abstract

Due to the relevance of attachment as predictor for maternal disorders and family functioning, this study’s aim is to validate the 19 items Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale-MPAS (Condon & Corkindale, 1998) to Portuguese population. After back-translation process and a pre-test, MPAS was applied in a cross-sectional study to 219 women, aged from 18-47 (M=30.97; SD=5.49), mostly married (83.1%), with a 1-12 months child (M=7.01; SD=3.23). After item’s exclusion due to lack of variance or significant correlations, KMO (0.71) and Bartlett´s test (p<.001) enabled the PC Analysis -Varimax rotation. One item eliminated due to low factor loading. A two-factor solution emerged, explaining 30.45% of total: 1st factor-attachment quality (7 items; ? =.65); 2nd factor-maternity feelings (7 items; ?=.56). The final version (14 items; ?=.69), is adequate for future studies. Although relational and maternal experiencing dimensions are coherent with attachment theory, this structure doesn't support the original tri-factor model (Pleasure in proximity; Acceptance and tolerance; Competence). Cultural and social desirability factors may explain current results.