Test Validity of The Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire for Pregnant Women in Indonesia: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: Fear of childbirth (FOC) become a common psychological health problem for pregnant women. The Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (WDEQ) is a common tool for assessing FOC which had, not yet been validated in Indonesia. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the W-DEQ in Indonesia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 105 pregnant women at a Public Health Center in Indonesia. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was applied to test the construct validity of the W-DEQ. Results: The mean age of participants was 29.64 years (SD = 4.85) and their pregnancy age mean was 28 weeks (SD = 8.51). Confirmatory factor analysis of the Indonesian version of the W-DEQ indicated a unidimensional (one-factor) structure with bifactor which indicated that this instrument besides measuring FOC, also indicates another factor (self-confidence and negative expectation). The Comparative Fit Index/CFI (0.939) and the Tucker-Lewis Index/TL (0.930) goodness of fit indices non-parametric were obtained, showing that the final model (23 items) of W-DEQ is acceptable with a note of improvement on some items. Conclusions: The Indonesian version of W-DEQ is a valid tool for screening and assessing mothers’ childbirth fear among Indonesian women in this pilot study. However, adjustments need to be made to apply this instrument on a national scale.