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Investigating validity and reliability evidence for the maternal antenatal attachment scale in a sample of Italian women

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Abstract

This study focused on the development of the emotional tie of the expectant mother towards her unborn child and aimed to achieve structural and external validity evidence for an Italian version of the Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (MAAS; Br J Med Psychol 66: 167–183, 1993). The MAAS was translated into Italian and was administered to a sample of 482 Italian expectant women (age 20–43 years), together with other questionnaires measuring maternal–fetal attachment, psychological well-being, and relational variables. The hypothesised relationships with external concurrent and predictive criteria were substantiated. Internal consistencies were adequate for the total scale and for one of the two subscales. Confirmatory factor analyses provided general support for an oblique two-factor model, with minor model misfit. Therefore, an exploratory factor analysis with oblimin rotation was performed. The findings suggested that some items may represent extraneous constructs. Implications for future research regarding the functioning of the instrument are addressed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology “Sapienza”, University of Rome, via degli Apuli 1, Rome, Italy

    Alessandra Busonera & Giulio Cesare Zavattini

  2. Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, via Is Mirrionis 1, Cagliari, Italy

    Stefania Cataudella & Jessica Lampis

  3. Department of Psychological Sciences, Humanities and Territory “G. D’Annunzio”, University of Chieti, via dei Vestini 31, Chieti, Italy

    Marco Tommasi

Authors
  1. Alessandra Busonera
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  2. Stefania Cataudella
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  3. Jessica Lampis
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  4. Marco Tommasi
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  5. Giulio Cesare Zavattini
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Correspondence to Alessandra Busonera.

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Busonera, A., Cataudella, S., Lampis, J. et al. Investigating validity and reliability evidence for the maternal antenatal attachment scale in a sample of Italian women. Arch Womens Ment Health 19, 329–336 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-015-0559-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-015-0559-3

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