Validation of a self-efficacy survey for Italian midwifery students with regard to breastfeeding support.

BACKGROUND

The training of midwives is critical in order to acquire the professional skills necessary in the support of breastfeeding. The use of tools that demonstrate student competency in the field of midwifery is fundamental.

OBJECTIVES

The aim for this study was to translate and apply a questionnaire to an Italian cohort of students - determining their self-efficacy and establishing the validity of the tool collectively.

DESIGN

This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study.

SETTING

The study was conducted at a large university in northern Italy.

PARTICIPANTS

Seventy-six female students from the Midwifery Degree Course.

METHODS

The questionnaire translated into Italian was administered to students participating in a Midwifery Degree Course. Rasch analysis was applied using ConQuest software, version 4.

RESULTS

Seventy-six questionnaires were collected. Fifty-six questionnaires have modal value 3 of the Likert response scale (It's easy for me to do it), 17 have a mode of 4 (It's very easy for me to do it), 3 of 2 (It's difficult for me to do it) and no questionnaire of 1 (It's very difficult for me to do it). A questionnaire identified the perception of self-efficacy of midwifery students in assisting breastfeeding mothers.

CONCLUSION

The results of this research demonstrate that students of midwifery consider themselves competent when assisting breast feeding mothers.