Diseño y validación de un instrumento para medir la autoeficacia para lactar de mujeres embarazadas mexicanas

Exclusive breastfeeding (EB) is a health behavior with a greatest health protective value for children and mothers. Self-efficacy is a predictor of different health behaviors. The objective of this research was to design and validate an instrument to measure self-efficacy to breastfeed in pregnant women. An instrumental study was conducted with users of two primary health care centers, selected through a non-probabilistic sampling. Those women who were illiterate or had a medical condition that contraindicated EB were excluded. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analysis were used to obtain the psychometric properties of the instrument. 369 women participated. An exploratory factorial analysis resulted in a 15 items unidimensional structure that explained 83% of the total variance of the scale (Cronbach’s alpha = .93). In addition, self-efficacy for breastfeeding was associated (p<.05) with intention to breastfeed, age and scholarship. The breastfeeding self-efficacy scale obtained showed adequate psychometric properties. So, it can be useful to identify women who may be at risk of not initiate breastfeeding from birth, as well as, it seems to be the first breastfeeding self-efficacy scale in Mexico.