Construct elaboration and validity of the Pregnancy Depression Risk Scale

ABSTRACT Objectives: to elaborate and analyze the Pregnancy Depression Risk Scale psychometric properties. Methods: methodological research, in six steps: theoretical model empirical definition; elaboration of scale items with literature review; consultation with five professional health experts and 15 pregnant women; content validity with six experts; pre-test-semantic validity with 24 pregnant women; scale factor structure definition with 350 pregnant women; pilot study with 100 pregnant women, totaling 489 pregnant women and 11 experts. Data were analyzed by content analysis, exploratory factor analysis, multitrait-multimethod analysis and internal consistency. Results: sixty-eight risk factors were identified for item formulation. The final version of the scale consisted of 24 items in five domains. The scale demonstrated satisfactory construct content, semantic, validity and reliability. Conclusions: the scale proved to be valid in terms of content and semantics, with a factor structure defined according to the adopted theoretical model and satisfactory psychometric properties.