Development and Validation of the Maternal Attitudes Toward Breastfeeding in Public Scale

Ekşioğlu A., Ocak S., Şener Arslan A. G., Kılıç M.

JOURNAL OF HUMAN LACTATION, cilt.8, sa.8, ss.1-14, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 8 Sayı: 8
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1177/08903344261466893
  • Dergi Adı: JOURNAL OF HUMAN LACTATION
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Food Science & Technology Abstracts, Scopus, Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-14
  • Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Abstract

Background: Public breastfeeding is influenced by social norms, cultural perceptions, and personal comfort, yet there is a lack of standardized instruments to assess societal attitudes toward breastfeeding in public spaces.

Research Aim: To develop and validate the Maternal Attitudes toward Breastfeeding in Public Scale (MABPS), an instrument designed to assess mothers’ perceptions of societal attitudes toward their own breastfeeding in public spaces.

Methods: The cross-sectional validation study was conducted with a sample of 320 breastfeeding women in Turkey. The development process included: (i) conceptual framework formulation based on an extensive literature review, (ii) content validity assessment by experts in maternal and child health, (iii) construct validity using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor

Analyses (EFA & CFA), (iv) internal consistency analysis via Cronbach’s Alpha, and (v) reliability assessment via Split-half and item analysis.

Results: The final version of the MABPS consists of three subdimensions: (1) Breastfeeding Comfort in Public, (2) Support for Breastfeeding, and (3) Barriers to Public Breastfeeding. Factor loadings ranged from 0.56 to 0.84 and the model fit indices (CFI = 0.930, TLI = 0.912, RMSEA = 0.069) indicated good construct validity. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.859).

Conclusion: The MABPS is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing public attitudes toward breastfeeding in social spaces. This tool can support policy-making, social interventions, and awareness campaigns to normalize and promote public breastfeeding.

Keywords: attitudes, breastfeeding, psychometric validation, public, scale development