Objective
To develop a Postnatal Perceived Stress Inventory (PNPSI) and assess its psychometric properties.
Design
Cross-sectional quantitative study.
Setting
One nurse-managed labor and delivery unit in a university hospital in a major metropolitan area.
Participants
One hundred seventy-nine (179) primiparous French speaking women who gave birth at term.
Methods
The PNPSI was validated at 6 weeks postpartum. Its predictive validity for depression and anxiety was assessed at the same time.
Results
The exploratory analysis revealed a 19-item structure divided into six factors. This inventory has good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .815). The predictive validity shows that the PNPSI significantly predicts depression and anxiety at 6 weeks postpartum, and that certain factors are particularly prominent.
Conclusion
The PNPSI's psychometric properties make it a useful tool for future research to evaluate interventions for perceived stress during the postnatal period. Its predictive power for depression indicates that it is also a promising tool for clinical settings.