A psychometric evaluation of the Swedish language version of the baby care questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE

In prioritising the best interests of the child, it is necessary to quantify parenting beliefs following interventions. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Swedish language version of the Baby Care Questionnaire.

METHODS

This instrument validation study was conducted within a larger quasi-experimental study incorporating baseline and post-intervention assessments across two clinical settings. The study population comprised of parents to newborns delivered between 37 + 0 and 42 + 0 weeks of gestation. The intervention included targeted training programmes for healthcare professionals, complemented by an educational package aimed at parents, focusing on breastfeeding practices and skin-to-skin contact. A total of 235 parents, comprising 160 mothers and 75 partners, completed the questionnaire when their infants were two months old.

RESULTS

In a population of Swedish parents, the BCQ demonstrated an acceptable model fit for mothers and may thus be used to assess parenting principles and practices during infancy. However, the instrument may benefit from being streamlined by excluding some items. For partners, the hypothesised two-factor structure of the BCQ showed a poor model fit with the observed data.

CONCLUSION

The BCQ exhibited acceptable model fit and may serve as a measure of parenting principles and practices among mothers during infancy. The instrument could be valuable in research evaluating interventions designed to influence maternal parenting principles.