Predicting Exclusive Breastfeeding Based on Maternal Personality Traits: A Correlational Study

Abstract

Background & Aims: World Health Organization (WHO) greatly recommends exclusive breastfeeding as the perfect nutrition for infant feeding. Breastfeeding is associated with short -term and long-term advantages for maternal and child health. Short term advantages in children include reduction of diarrhea and pneumonia. And the long-term advantages of breastfeeding include reduced risk of obesity and chronic diseases such as type I & II diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, and hyperlipidemia in adulthood and improved cognitive functions. Breastfeeding advantages for mothers include more mother-infant bonding and reduced risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and type II diabetes. Many studies have documented the relationship between healthy behaviors and personality traits, so it seems that breastfeeding is related to such traits. So, this study aimed to investigate predicting exclusive breastfeeding based on maternal personality traits. Material & Methods:A descriptive-predictive study was used to achieve the research purpose. The study followed random cluster sampling method. For this purpose, first Valfajr and Enghelab Centers were selected as clusters, and three comprehensive health care centers were selected randomly from these clusters. Finally, 120 eligible mothers referring to 6 comprehensive health centers of Shiraz participated in this study. In order to determine the sample size, the rule of sixty in the structural equation prediction model was employed. According to this law, 10 samples were selected for each parameter. Data were collected between May to December 2019. The inclusion criteria were willingness to participate in the study, Iranian mothers with an infant aged 6-12 months and the experience of exclusive breastfeeding, singleton pregnancy, lack of any breast disorders, normal vaginal delivery, not using any lactation-inducing medications, not having any medical complications, not having been hospitalized for any reasons, not using any psychiatric medications during the breastfeeding period, and term pregnancy. The exclusion criteria were incomplete questionnaires. Data were gathered using a demographic questionnaire which included items relating to maternal and child age, education level of couples, income, occupation, breastfeeding education during pregnancy and after childbirth, emotional support during the breastfeeding period on the part of the husband or family, and delivery type. The other instruments included Exclusive Breastfeeding Scale with 23 items on attitude, abstract norms, perceived behavior control, and behavioral intention; and the shortened scale of Big Five Factors (BFF) about Personality Traits which included 21 items relating to extraversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, task-orientation, and agreeableness. The researcher selected the samples who met inclusion criteria; and then, she introduced herself to them and explained the research objectives. The participants were also ensured about the confidentiality of the data. A written consent form was obtained from ...