Psychometric performance assessment of the Arabic version of the pregnancy experience scale-brief version (PES-brief) in an Arabic-speaking population

Objective: Although tools exist to assess psychological distress during pregnancy, a scarcity of instruments are designed to measure maternal perceptions of the more positive, uplifting features of pregnancy in addition to the more negative, hassling aspects. To address this shortcoming, DiPietro et al. developed the Pregnancy Experience Scale-Brief (PES-Brief). We aimed to assess the reliability and psychometric performance of an Arabic translation of the PES-Brief among Lebanese pregnant women.

Methods: The PES-Brief, the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Lebanese Anxiety Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were administered to 433 participants. PES-Brief scores were computed as frequency and intensity, with Hassles to Uplifts frequency and intensity ratios.

Results: The PES-Brief was internally consistent, with McDonald's ω = 0.87 for Uplifts and 0.81 for Hassles. Higher PES-Uplifts scores were significantly associated with lower depression and anxiety scores, and higher perceived social support; whereas higher PES-Hassles scores showed inverse correlations. The Hassles to Uplifts frequency and intensity ratios were 0.864 and 0.836, respectively, indicating that pregnant women were more uplifted than hassled. The CFA results confirmed the two-factor structure of the scale.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the Arabic PES-Brief is a psychometrically valid and reliable scale that may be employed as a legitimate indicator of pregnancy-specific uplifts and hassles among Arabic-speaking populations. Our study prompts clinicians and researchers to benefit from this tool for capturing the integral psychological/emotional experience of women during pregnancy, which may facilitate pregnant women's support when needed.