Development and psychometric analysis of the Maternal Attitude Scale Toward Infant Massage (MASTIM).

PURPOSE: This study aimed to develop and validate the Maternal Attitude Scale Toward Infant Massage (MASTIM).

DESIGN AND

METHODS

This methodological and correlational study included mothers with infants aged 0-12 months in Turkey, between August 2025 and February 2026. The psychometric properties of the scale were evaluated using the Content Validity Index (CVI) for content validity, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA, CFA) for construct validity, and Cronbach's α, item-total correlations, independent samples t-tests for reliability.

RESULTS

The scale consists of 15 items and five factors. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for "Sleep" was 0.82, "Growth and Development" was 0.90, "Bonding" was 0.84, "Digestion and Elimination" was 0.79, "Colic" was 0.80 and the total score was 0.88.The content validity index (CVI) for MASTIM items ranged from 0.88 to 0.96.

CONCLUSION

The MASTIM scale was found to be a valid and reliable instrument for assessing maternal attitudes toward infant massage.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: MASTIM provides a practical tool for assessing maternal attitudes toward infant massage, enabling pediatric nursing and healthcare professionals to support and monitor mother-infant interaction in clinical settings.