TY - JOUR
T1 - Development of the COVID-19 Perinatal Perception Questionnaire (COVID19-PPQ)
AU - Hulsbosch, L.P.
AU - Boekhorst, M.G.B.M.
AU - Muskens, L.
AU - Potharst, E.S.
AU - Nyklicek, I.
AU - Pop, V.J.M.
N1 - Funding Information:
Partial financial support was received from NWO (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek) as part of the NWO program ‘Corona: Fast-track data’ (dossier number 440.2.014).
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic affects the mental health status of perinatal women, which makes it important to gain insight into and to effectively measure specific stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, we aimed to develop a COVID-19 Perinatal Perception Questionnaire (COVID19-PPQ). In-depth interviews were conducted during the first national lockdown period with pregnant women, new mothers and perinatal healthcare professionals, resulting in (a) a 27-item pregnancy and (b) a 21-item postpartum scale. Explorative factor analyses (EFA) in sample Ia (N = 154) and Ib (N = 90), and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) in sample IIa (N = 113) and IIb (N = 81) were conducted to test the psychometric properties of both scales. For the pregnancy scale, EFA suggested a three-factor solution (risk of infection, contact, future), which was confirmed by CFA and resulted in a final nine-item scale. For the postpartum scale, a three-factor solution (first postpartum week, COVID-19 measures, fear for infection) was suggested by EFA and confirmed by CFA, resulting in a final ten-item scale. Symptoms of depression and pregnancy-specific distress were significantly correlated with the pregnancy (sub)scale(s), while symptoms of postpartum depression and anxiety showed significant correlations with the COVID-19 measures and fear for infection subscale. The COVID19-PPQ seems to be a valid instrument for assessment of perinatal COVID-19-related stress perception, showing adequate psychometric properties for both the pregnancy and postpartum scale. Future research should examine the use of this instrument in clinical practice during new episodes of the COVID-19 pandemic.
AB - The COVID-19 pandemic affects the mental health status of perinatal women, which makes it important to gain insight into and to effectively measure specific stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, we aimed to develop a COVID-19 Perinatal Perception Questionnaire (COVID19-PPQ). In-depth interviews were conducted during the first national lockdown period with pregnant women, new mothers and perinatal healthcare professionals, resulting in (a) a 27-item pregnancy and (b) a 21-item postpartum scale. Explorative factor analyses (EFA) in sample Ia (N = 154) and Ib (N = 90), and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) in sample IIa (N = 113) and IIb (N = 81) were conducted to test the psychometric properties of both scales. For the pregnancy scale, EFA suggested a three-factor solution (risk of infection, contact, future), which was confirmed by CFA and resulted in a final nine-item scale. For the postpartum scale, a three-factor solution (first postpartum week, COVID-19 measures, fear for infection) was suggested by EFA and confirmed by CFA, resulting in a final ten-item scale. Symptoms of depression and pregnancy-specific distress were significantly correlated with the pregnancy (sub)scale(s), while symptoms of postpartum depression and anxiety showed significant correlations with the COVID-19 measures and fear for infection subscale. The COVID19-PPQ seems to be a valid instrument for assessment of perinatal COVID-19-related stress perception, showing adequate psychometric properties for both the pregnancy and postpartum scale. Future research should examine the use of this instrument in clinical practice during new episodes of the COVID-19 pandemic.
KW - ANXIETY SYMPTOMS
KW - COVID-19 pandemic
KW - DEPRESSION
KW - PREVALENCE
KW - Perception
KW - Perinatal
KW - Validation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85110463099&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10862-021-09900-4
DO - 10.1007/s10862-021-09900-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 34305303
SN - 0882-2689
VL - 43
SP - 735
EP - 744
JO - Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment
JF - Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment
IS - 4
ER -