Psychometric properties of the Slovak version of the Birth Satisfaction Scale (BSS) and Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R)

Abstract

Objective: This study is focused on assessing psychometric properties of the Slovak version of the 30-item Birth Satisfaction Scale (BSS) and revised 10-item BSS-R.

Study design: Quantitative cross-sectional study design was used, with the primary goal of examining factor structure, internal consistency, and both divergent and known-groups validity of the Slovak version of BSS and BSS-R.

Setting: Four public hospital sites in central Slovakia PARTICIPANTS: A 30-item BSS questionnaire was administered to 506 women 2-4 days after birth (mean age 29.9 years, SD = 5.1).

Results: The mean BSS score was 112 (SD 13.6, score range 30-150), and BSS-R 27.3 (SD 5.4, score range 0-40). Significantly higher birth satisfaction was found among women after physiological birth, multiparas, women with supporting person at birth, with pain relief, and with university education. Both Slovak version of BSS and BSS-R have been shown to have good reliability, as well as good divergent and known-group validity. The results of confirmatory factor revealed that three-factor model of the BSS-R offers a good fit to the Slovak data (χ², df₃₂) = 79.40, p < 0.001, CFI = 0.96 and RMSEA = 0.05).

Key conclusions: The Slovak version of the 10-item BSS-R has been found to have excellent psychometric properties and can be used as a valid outcome measure of birth satisfaction in Slovak hospital settings.

Keywords: Birth Satisfaction Scale; Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R); Childbearing women; Perinatal care; Psychometric properties; Slovakia.