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. 2023 Aug 4;23(1):1487.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-16365-5.

Development and validation of the Teen Moms Child Feeding Questionnaire for Sub-Saharan Africa

Mercy E Sosanya  1   2 , Isaiah Beamon  3 , Raza Muhammad  3 , Jeanne H Freeland-Graves  3
Affiliations

Development and validation of the Teen Moms Child Feeding Questionnaire for Sub-Saharan Africa

Mercy E Sosanya et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: In Sub-Saharan Africa, the nutritional status of children born to teenage mothers deserves critical attention. Maternal knowledge and attitudes concerning infant and young child feeding (IYCF) may predict actual practices and child nutritional status. This study created and validated the Teen Moms Child Feeding Questionnaire for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: A literature search on IYCF knowledge and attitude gaps in teenage mothers generated scale items. Ten nutrition experts and six teenage mothers assessed content validity and comprehensibility, respectively. Construct validation was conducted by item response theory (IRT) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), in 150 teenage mothers in rural communities of Abuja, Nigeria. Model fit parameters were estimated by standardized chi-square tests. Internal consistency reliability was determined by marginal reliability and Cronbach's alpha. In a sub-sample of 40 women who completed the questionnaire two weeks later, test-retest reliability was assessed via intraclass correlations.

Results: The IRT analysis retained 23 knowledge items on infant food type, breastfeeding and complementary feeding, with acceptable discrimination and difficulty. CFA produced a six-factor solution (exclusive breastfeeding, breast milk expression, meal frequency, responsive feeding, dietary diversity, and barriers) with 17 attitude items. Confirmatory fit and Tucker Lewis indices > 0.9; Root Mean Square Errors of Approximation and Standardized Root Mean Square Residuals < 0.08, showed good model fit. Overall Cronbach's alpha of the attitude scale (0.843), subscales (≥ 0.6) and high intraclass correlation coefficients (> 0.75) indicated reliability.

Conclusion: The Teen Moms Child Feeding Questionnaire for Sub-Saharan Africa is a valid assessment tool for IYCF knowledge and attitudes of teenage mothers.

Keywords: Adolescent mother; Attitudes; Breastfeeding; Complementary feeding; Infant and young child feeding; Knowledge; Psychometric properties; Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart of development and validation of the Teen Moms Child Feeding Questionnaire for Sub-Saharan Africa
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Summary of child feeding knowledge of teenage mothers in Abuja via the Teen Moms Child Feeding Questionnaire for Sub-Saharan Africa
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Confirmatory path analysis of the attitude scale of the Teen Moms Child Feeding Questionnaire for Sub-Saharan Africa
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Summary of child feeding attitudes of teenage mothers in Abuja via the Teen Moms Child Feeding Questionnaire for Sub-Saharan Africa
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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