Breastfeeding Cessation Readiness Scale: A Mixed-Methods Methodological Study for Development and Validation

Background: Terminating breastfeeding is a significant transition for both mother and infant. However, no standardized, valid, and reliable tool currently exists to assess the readiness of mother-infant pairs (with infants over 6 months old) for this process. Aim: The aim of this study was to develop and psychometrically evaluate the Breastfeeding Cessation Readiness Scale for use among mothers planning to cease breastfeeding. Methods: This study used an exploratory sequential mixed-method design conducted among mothers in Turkey who were planning to cease breastfeeding. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews with 14 mothers were analyzed using content analysis. In the quantitative phase, items generated from the qualitative findings and literature review were used to develop a draft scale, which was tested on 272 mothers. Validity was assessed using content validity, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability analyses included Cronbach’s alpha, split-half method, test-retest reliability, and item-total correlation analysis. Results: The final scale consisted of 20 items across four factors mother readiness, infant readiness, process management, and environmental readiness explaining 56.24% of the total variance. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.863), and factor loadings ranged from 0.480 to 0.829. Confirmatory factor analysis supported construct validity ( p < 0.001). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the four-factor structure with acceptable model fit (χ 2 /df = 1.776, CFI = 0.936, TLI = 0.924, RMSEA = 0.054). These findings indicate that the scale demonstrates satisfactory construct validity and reliability for assessing mothers’ readiness for breastfeeding cessation. Conclusion: This newly developed tool offers a psychometrically sound method to assess readiness for breastfeeding cessation. It can enhance clinical decision-making and guide individualized counseling by midwives and other healthcare professionals. By identifying areas where support is needed, the scale may also indirectly contribute to the prolongation of breastfeeding duration.