Measurement Equivalence between Pidgin English and Igbo Versions of the Birth Satisfaction Scale–Revised among Postpartum Women in Owerri, Nigeria

Vollständiger Abstract

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Birth satisfaction is an indicator of the quality of intrapartum care, yet evidence on measurement equivalence of birth satisfaction instruments across Nigerian languages remains limited. In multilingual settings such as Nigeria, where Nigerian Pidgin is widely used alongside indigenous languages such as Igbo, establishing cross-language equivalence of patient-reported outcome measures is essential to ensure valid comparison of maternal birth experiences. This study assessed measurement equivalence between the Nigerian Pidgin English version of the Birth Satisfaction Scale–Revised (BSS-R) and the Igbo version among postpartum women in selected hospitals in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed. A total of 706 postpartum women were recruited using stratified random sampling from two public and two private hospitals. Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Pidgin English BSS-R, and the Igbo BSS-R. To minimise recall effects, the instruments were administered sequentially (Pidgin English BSS-R before Igbo BSS-R) at a five-minute interval following informed consent and ethical approval. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, paired-sample t-tests to examine mean score equivalence, and Pearson correlation analysis to assess convergent validity between the two language versions. There was no statistically significant difference in mean scores between the Igbo and Pidgin English versions of the BSS-R (p > 0·05; a measure of equivalence reliability). The two versions demonstrated excellent convergent validity, with a correlation coefficient of 0·991. The findings suggest strong equivalence between the Pidgin English and Igbo versions of the BSS-R. The Pidgin English version offers a pragmatic tool for improving inclusivity and accuracy in the measurement of maternal birth satisfaction in clinical practice and research.