The Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version of the Attitudes to Fer-tility and Childbearing Scale (AFCS)

Year 2021, , 764 - 774, 04.12.2021

Sinem Göral , Sevgi Özkan , Pınar Sercekus , Erkan Alataş

https://doi.org/10.21449/ijate.773132

Abstract

This study, a descriptive and methodological type of research, was conducted to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish adaptation of the Attitudes to Fertility and Childbearing Scale (AFCS), developed by Söderberg et al. (2015). The sample of this study consisted of 224 women who had not given birth yet and who were between the ages of 20-30. The scale is a Likert-type measuring instrument consisting of 21 items, in three dimensions. Internal consistency analyses were conducted to determine its reliability. After confirming the linguistic validity, expert opinions were obtained for the content validity. Furthermore, the Item Content Validity Index (I-CVI) and the Scale Content Validity Index (S-CVI) were used to assess its content validity. The construct validity was performed using confirmatory factor analysis. As a result of the confirmatory factor analysis carried out for the construct validity, a three-factor structure of the scale was found to have a good level of model fitness indices (RMSEA=.067, SRMR=.075, CFI=.96). As a result of the scale reliability analysis, the internal consistency coefficient was found to be .82 for the total scale and internal consistency reliability coefficients of the sub-scales were found to be .93 for the "importance of fertility for the future" sub-scale, .87 for the "childbearing as a hindrance at present" sub-scale, and .81 for the "social identity" sub-scale. AFCS is a valid and reliable measurement tool that can be used to measure the fertility and childbearing attitudes of women in a fertile age.

Keywords

Attitude, Fertility, Scale, Validity, Reliability

References

• Alviggi, C., Humaidan, P., Howles, C.M., Tredway D., & Hillier, S.G. (2009). Biological versus chronological ovarian age: implications for assisted reproductive technology. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 2009, 7(101), 1 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-7-101
• Benzies, K., Tough, S., Tofflemire, K., Frick, C., Faber, A., & Newburn-Cook, C. (2006). Factors influencing women’s decisions about timing of motherhood. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 35(5), 625-633. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2006.00079.x
• Coccia, M.E., & Rizzello, F. (2008). Ovarian reserve. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1127, 27-30. https://doi.org/10.1196/annals.1434.011
• Cooke, A., Mills, T.A., & Lavender, T. (2012). Advanced maternal age: delayed childbearing is rarely a conscious choice: a qualitative study of women’s views and experiences. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 49(2012), 30 39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2011.07.013
• Çam, M.O., & Baysan-Arabacı, L. (2010). Qualitative and quantitative steps on attitude scale construction. Hemşirelikte Araştırma Geliştirme Dergisi,12(2), 59-71.
• Çapık, C., Gözüm, S., & Aksayan, S. (2018). Intercultural scale adaptation stages, language and culture adaptation: Updated guideline. FNJN Florence Nightingale Journal of Nursing, 26(3), 199-210.
• Eser, E., & Baydur, H. (2007). Sağlıkla ilgili yaşam kalitesi ölçeklerinin kültürel uyarlaması [Cultural adaptation of health-related quality of life scales]. 2. Sağlıkta yaşam kalitesi kongresi kongre öncesi kurslar kitabı. https://www.saykad.net/p/2ulusal-saglkta-yasam-kalitesi-kongresi.html
• Fitzgerald, C., Zimon, A.E., & Jones, E.E. (1998). Aging and reproductive potential in women. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, 71(1998), 367-381.
• Kalaycı, Ş. (2010). Factor analizi: SPSS uygulamalı çok değişkenli istatistik teknikleri [Factor analysis: SPSS applied multivariate statistical techniques]. Asil Yayın Dağıtım Ltd. Şti.
• Nunnally, J.C., & Bernstein, I.H. (2010). Psychometric theory. Mc Graw Hill India.
• Özdamar, K. (2002). Paket programlar ile istatistiksel veri analizi [Statistical data analysis with package programs]. Kaan Kitabevi.
• Özkan, S., & Sevil, Ü. (2007) The study of validity and reliability of inventory of functional status after childbirth. TSK Halk Sağlığı Bülteni, 6(3), 199-208.
• Polit, D.F., & Beck, C.T. (2006). The content validity index: Are you sure you know what’s being reported? Critique and recommendations. Research in Nursing & Health, 29(5), 489-497. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.20147
• Proudfoot, S., Wellings, K., & Glasier, A. (2009). Analysis why nulliparous women over age 33 wish to use contraception. Contraception, 79(2), 98 104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2008.09.005
• Rattray, J., & Jones, M.C. (2007). Essential elements of questionnaire design and development. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 16, 234-243. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2006.01573.x
• Sleebos, J.E. (2003). Low fertility rates in OECD countries: facts and policy responses. In OECD Labour Market and Social Policy Occasional Papers. 2003. http://ideas.repec.org/p/oec/elsaaa/15-en.html
• Söderberg, M., Lundgren, I., Christensson, K., & Hildingsson, I. (2013). Attitudes toward fertility and childbearing scale: an assessment of a new instrument for women who are not yet mothers in Sweden. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 13, 197. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/13/197
• Söderberg, M., Christensson, K., Lundgren, I., & Hildingsson, I. (2015). Women’s attitudes towards fertility and childbearing - A study based on a national sample of Swedish women validating the Attitudes to Fertility and Childbearing Scale (AFCS). Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, 6(2), 54-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2015.01.002
• Şencan, H. (2005). Sosyal ve davranişsal ölçümlerde güvenilirlik ve geçerlilik [Reliability and validity in social and behavioral measures]. Seçkin Yayıncılık.
• Tavşancıl, E. (2010). Tutumların ölçülmesi ve SPSS ile veri analizi [Measuring attitudes and data analysis with SPSS]. Nobel Yayın Dağıtım.
• Tydén, T., Svanberg, A.S., & Karlström, P.O. (2006). Female university students’ attitudes to future motherhood and their understanding about fertility. The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care, 11(3), 181 189. https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/iejc20
• Yoldemir, T. (2016). Fertility in midlife women. Climacteric, 19(3), 240 246. https://doi.org/10.3109/13697137.2016.1164133