Development and psychometric analysis of the traumatic childbirth perception scale in men

Abstract This study aimed to develop the Traumatic Childbirth Perception Scale for men and to examine its psychometric properties. This methodological study was conducted in three stages. Participants included all men aged 18 and older who consented to participate. Ethical approval was obtained. In the first stage, 512 participants were included, with 255 participants and 257 participants in the second stage. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted in the first stage using Sample 1 data. Following the analysis in the first stage, data were collected for Sample 2. Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) was performed on the Sample 2 data. Considering that perceptions of traumatic birth in men might vary according to marital status, Sample 2 data were analyzed in three groups: single, married, and all participants. Data collection was conducted online via Google Forms. The research instruments included a Participant Information Form, a draft version of the Traumatic Childbirth Perception Scale for Men, and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Short Scale as an equivalent scale. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used for validity analysis. Reliability coefficients were calculated using Cronbach's alpha and parallel test reliability coefficients. The developed scale consisted of 23 items and four sub-dimensions (anxiety, trauma, privacy, and comfort). The Cronbach's alpha internal reliability coefficient of the scale was 0.868, and the reliability coefficients of the sub-dimensions ranged from 0.602 to 0.851, indicating good reliability. In the second stage of the Traumatic Childbirth Perception Scale for Men, the first-level factorial structure of the scale (× 2 (221, N = 257) p < 0.000; × 2/sd = 1.578; CMIN:348.87; RMSEA = 0.048; CFI = 0.931; GFI = 0.900) showed excellent fit across the entire sample. The results indicate that the Traumatic Childbirth Perception Scale for men has good reliability and validity and can be used to determine the perceived level of traumatic birth in men.