Development and psychometric testing of the Perception of Childbirth Environment Scale in Taiwan.

Background: Previous research has shown that women's perceptions of their childbirth environment are critical in ensuring that they feel supported and in facilitating physiological childbirth.

Aim: To develop and validate the Perception of Childbirth Environment Scale (PCES) for expectant mothers.

Methods: The PCES was developed based on findings from a scoping review and a qualitative study on childbirth environments conducted by the authors. The scale underwent expert review to ensure relevance, clarity, and content validity, followed by face validity testing with five women. A total of 193 participants, recruited from two medical institutions, completed the PCES within 48 h after childbirth. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's α for internal consistency. Construct validity was evaluated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.

Results: The PCES comprised 10 items divided into two dimensions: comfort and control. "Comfort" factors included privacy, homeliness, familiarity, relaxation facilitation, and a sense of continuity in the room, while "Control" factors were reflected in elements like a birth companion, empowerment, and safety. The model demonstrated a good fit following exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, as well as adjustments based on modification indices.

Conclusions: The PCES displayed strong reliability and validity, making it a suitable tool for assessing women's perceptions of their labor and childbirth environment.