PREDICTION OF BREASTFEEDING ATTRITION: A TEST OF THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR.
Contributors: Rush University, College Of Nursing.
Published: 1991
Number of pages: 116
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Behavioral.; Psychology, Psychometrics.
Description: The purpose of this methodological study was to examine the psychometric properties of the investigator developed Breastfeeding Attrition Prediction Tool (BAPT) that was designed to identify women at risk for premature weaning. The BAPT was based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) which offers an approach for explaining, predicting, and influencing human behaviors based on measures of subjective norm, control, and attitudes. The sample consisted of 201 hospitalized postpartum women who planned on breastfeeding a minimum of six weeks. Study participants filled out the BAPT while in the hospital and received a follow-up telephone interview 8 weeks post delivery.

Factor analyses provided evidence of content, construct, and predictive validity. Content validity was enhanced through item development techniques and deletions that were made based on results of the factor analyses. Evidence of construct validity was found when factor analyses identified four scales that measured the TPB constructs of attitude, perceived control, and subjective norm. Reliability estimates for all scales showed moderate internal consistency (alpha $>$.70). Construct validity was addressed further when the BAPT was able to distinguish between women with prior successful breastfeeding experience and women with no prior breastfeeding experience (p $<$.05).

Initial evidence of predictive validity was addressed when three BAPT scales were found to be statistically related (p $<$.05) to breastfeeding duration at eight weeks. Interpretation of the scales found women who weaned prematurely received less breastfeeding support from social and professional referents, believed breastfeeding was difficult, and saw more advantages to formula feeding and fewer advantages to breastfeeding. Further evidence of predictive validity was found when the discriminant analysis was able to correctly identify 67 percent of women who weaned prematurely.

Results of this study indicate attitude, subjective norm, and control are critical variables related to breastfeeding attrition. Implications for future research include the need to develop interventions that address each of the BAPT constructs. Subsequently, the BAPT can test these interventions in a series of clinical trials. The BAPT also needs to be tested among culturally diverse populations and larger more heterogenous samples.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-03, Section: B, page: 1352.

Thesis (D.N.SC.)--RUSH UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF NURSING, 1991.

School code: 0591.