Validation of the Arabic Version of the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale among Lebanese Women

Abstract

Background: There is need in the Arab world for validated instruments that can reliably assess infant feeding attitudes among women. The 17-item Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) has consistently shown good reliability and validity in different cultures and the ability to predict breastfeeding intention and exclusivity. Objective: This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the IIFAS (IIFAS-A). Methods: After translating to classical Arabic and back-translating to English, the IIFAS-A was pilot tested among 20 women for comprehension, clarity, length, and cultural appropriateness. The IIFAS-A was then validated among 170 women enrolled in a breastfeeding promotion and support clinical trial in Lebanon. Results: The IIFAS-A showed acceptable internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.640), with principal components analysis revealing that it is unidimensional. The 17 items had good interitem reliabilities ranging between 0.599 and 0.665. The number of breastfed children was the only predictor of the overall IIFAS-A score in a multivariate stepwise regression model (β = 1.531, P < .0001). Conclusion: The 17-item IIFAS-A is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring women’s infant feeding attitudes in the Arab context.