Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale – Short Form (BSES-SF)
Measures a mother's confidence in her ability to breastfeed her infant.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale – Short Form (BSES-SF) was developed by Cindy-Lee Dennis (2003). It is designed to measure Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy. The scale is intended for use with Postpartum mothers.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 14 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = not at all confident, 2 = not very confident, 3 = sometimes confident, 4 = confident, 5 = very confident.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 14 to 70. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy: 14 – 32
- Medium Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy: 33 – 51
- High Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy: 52 – 70
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.94.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.