INVESTIGATING INTENTION TO BREASTFEED: APPLYING THE TRIANDIS MODEL OF SOCIAL BEHAVIOR (BREASTFEEDING, SOCIAL BEHAVIOR).
Contributors: Boston University.
Published: 1990
Number of pages: 133
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Social.
Description: This study investigated intention to breastfeed in nulliparous women. The Triandis Model of Social Behavior was examined for its explanatory utility in understanding the intention to breastfeed.

Two hundred five nulliparous participants comprised the non-random sample. Subjects were solicited from selected sites in northern New England using a sampling method designed to maximize heterogeneity of income characteristics of participating women. A questionnaire, developed to measure the intention component of the Triandis model inclusive of four factors, behavioral intention (BI), social factors (TSOC), affective factors (TAFFECT), and cognitive factors (TCOGNTV), was used. The explanatory ability of the model was tested with multiple regression analysis.

This investigation demonstrated that breastfeeding attitudes were in place before pregnancy. Intention to breastfeed was explained by the components of the Triandis Model of Social Behavior with a total R$\sp2$ of 67.3%. Each dimension of the intention model made a statistically significant (p $<$.05) contribution to explaining intention to breastfeed. However, the social factors scale (TSOC) far exceeded the other variables in explaining variance in the intent measure. Because of the small, although significant contribution that the revised cognitive factors scale (NCGTV) made to the overall R$\sp2$, questions were raised as to the practical significance of this measure in explaining the dependent measure. Lastly, this study determined through analysis of variance that women classified as having high intention to breastfeed or those less likely to breastfeed had significantly different group mean scores on the variables of history of having been breastfed, age, and the summative scale measure that asked "Which persons close to you have breastfed?" Of note was the finding that mean scores on income, education, or SES did not significantly differ between the two categories of intent to breastfeed. This study demonstrated the explanatory power of the Triandis Model of Social Behavior to describe intention to breastfeed. The results suggest that intention to breastfeed is a function of a constellation of social factors that have more influence on intention to breastfeed than affect or cognitions alone. Hence, nursing interventions aimed at promoting intention to breastfeed among women should include strategies that promote breastfeeding to the family and friends of these women.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-07, Section: B, page: 3526.

Thesis (D.N.SC.)--BOSTON UNIVERSITY, 1990.

School code: 0017.