Objective: To assess the psychometric properties of a scale measuring mothers' perceptions of readiness for discharge after birth.
Design: Psychometric analyses including construct validity using factor analysis and known groups comparisons, predictive validity, and reliability. Data were collected at discharge and 6 weeks postdischarge.
Setting: Tertiary-level perinatal center in the Midwestern United States.
Participants: 1,462 postpartum mothers.
Intervention: None.
Main outcome measures: Perceived Readiness for Discharge After Birth Scale scores; subscale scores for personal status and knowledge factors.
Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the scale contained two factors. Perceived Readiness for Discharge After Birth Scale scores were lower for mothers who were breastfeeding, married, primiparous, and had a short hospital stay (less than 30 hours) than for their comparison groups. The Perceived Readiness for Discharge After Birth Scale personal status factor was predictive of self-reported physical and psychosocial problems and unscheduled utilization of health services in the first 6 weeks postpartum. The knowledge factor was predictive of postdischarge telephone calls to the pediatric provider. Reliability estimates ranged from 0.83 to 0.89 for the total scale and subscales.
Conclusions: The Perceived Readiness for Discharge After Birth Scale performed well in psychometric testing. Assessing mothers' perceptions of readiness for discharge is important for measuring outcomes of hospitalization and for identifying mothers at risk for postdischarge problems.