Woman’s Experience of Childbirth: Qualitative Analysis from Data Derived from the 30-Item-Birth-Satisfaction-Scale

Procter, Susan; Hollins Martin, Caroline J; Larkin, Derek; Martin, Colin R

Abstract

Background: The 30-Item-Birth-Satisfaction-Scale (30-item-BSS) was developed to evaluate women’s experiences of
childbirth.
Objective: To thematically analyse the qualitative responses to questions comprising the 30-item BSS questionnaire, to
identify whether the qualitative responses are in anyway harmonized with experiences reported within the quantitative
portion of the 30-item-BSS.
Study design: The focus of our enquiry was the analysis of secondary data from (n = 115) completed 30-item-BSS
questionnaires in which respondents provided textual comments to the quantitative questions in order to draw separate
qualitative analysis of birth satisfaction. Line-by-line thematic coding was conducted to classify each written comment
into a theme. Themes representing birth satisfaction were subsequently analysed using constant comparative analysis to
differentiate birth satisfaction classifications that range from high to low, Exceptional, Good, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory.
Participants: The completed questionnaires (30-tem-BSS) from a convenience sample of postnatal women (< 10 days
postpartum) who had delivered a healthy term infant.
Findings: The experiences for childbirth were ultimately classified as Exceptional for 4 women, Good for 39 women,
Satisfactory for 55 women, and Unsatisfactory for 17 women.
Key conclusions: We found that qualitative data synchronized favorably with data from the quantitative aspect of the BSS.
Implications for practice: Two versions of the BSS are available: (1) The psychometrically valid and reliable 10-item-BSS
from which scores can be correlated with other validated measures, and (2) The 30-item-BSS designed to assess individual
women’s experiences prior to in-depth qualitative work. Both scales are available from the second author.

Citation

Procter, S., Hollins Martin, C. J., Larkin, D., & Martin, C. R. (2017). Woman’s Experience of Childbirth: Qualitative Analysis from Data Derived from the 30-Item-Birth-Satisfaction-Scale. Scientific pages of Nursing, 1(1), 10-17

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 10, 2017
• Publication Date: Feb 14, 2017
• Deposit Date: Jun 7, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 11, 2018
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 1
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 10-17
• Keywords: Birth; Birth-Satisfaction-Scale (BSS); Childbearing; Construct validity; Experience; Satisfaction; Women
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/867503
• Related Public URLs: https://repository.edgehill.ac.uk/8676/
• Contract Date: Jun 7, 2018