Development and Psychometric Properties of the Breastfeeding Behaviour in Public Scale

BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is universally recognised as the best nutrition for infants, yet women's public breastfeeding experiences are shaped by cultural norms, privacy concerns, and social judgments, and no valid scale currently exists to measure these behaviours. RESEARCH AIM: The aim of this study is to develop a valid and reliable instrument to measure mothers' behaviours towards breastfeeding in public. METHODS: This methodological study included 390 mothers with breastfeeding experience. The final version of the scale subjected to analysis consisted of 17 items. The scale's construct validity was evaluated using Exploratory Factor Analysis, item validity was assessed by comparing the mean scores of the upper and lower 27% groups, and model fit was tested through Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The reliability of the scale was analysed using Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient, item-total correlation, and split-half reliability. RESULTS: The scale demonstrated a four-factor structure, with good model fit indices (RMSEA = 0.064; GFI = 0.91; CFI = 0.94) and a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.89. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that the Breastfeeding Behaviour in Public Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating mothers' behaviours towards breastfeeding in public.