Breastfeeding self-efficacy scale in Haitian women for chile: cross-cultural adaptation and validation.

Abstract

Background: Migratory movements represent a global challenge, especially in public health, where cultural and linguistic barriers hinder care for vulnerable populations. In Chile, the Haitian community faces these limitations, which affect breastfeeding practices. Breastfeeding self-efficacy is a key predictor of success in this practice and is assessed by instruments such as the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF).

Objective: To perform a cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the BSES-SF in Haitian Creole.

Design and methods: The scale was translated following a rigorous process of translation and back-translation, cultural validation, and application in a sample of 76 pregnant Haitian women treated in two health centers in Talca, Chile. Reliability was assessed via Cronbach's alpha, and internal consistency was evaluated via intraclass correlation. Construct validity was assessed via exploratory factor analysis.

Results: The scale showed high reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.943; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.907). Factor analysis revealed two principal components that explained 70.14% of the total variance, with consistent values in both dimensions (Cronbach's alpha values of 0.901 and 0.906).

Conclusions: The Haitian version of the BSES-SF is valid and reliable, providing a tool to assess and strengthen breastfeeding self-efficacy. This study contributes to developing culturally sensitive interventions and reinforces the importance of inclusive strategies in public health.

Clinical trial: Not applicable.