The “questionnaire of the difference imaginary baby vs. real baby”: a new instrument for the evaluation of differences between prenatal and postnatal maternal perceptions after delivery

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Fantasmatic baby, imaginary baby and the real baby are important concepts for the understanding of the psychological life of pregnant women as of newly mothers. GOAL: To present a new psychometric instrument for the assessment of the difference between imaginary baby and real baby by the first days after delivery. METHOD: Generation of 30 items about the difference between imaginary baby and real baby related to five main areas of newborns’ life: feeding, sleeping, interaction, baby characteristics and temperament. PARTICIPANTS: The “Questionnaire of the Difference Imaginary Baby vs. Real Baby” (QDIBRB) was applied to a sample (N = 190) of newly mothers at Maternidade Dr. Alfredo da Costa in Lisbon. RESULTS: After a series of factorial analysis, Equamax rotation with extraction forced to 4 factors (explaining 52.7% of total variance) provided 3 factors about differences between maternal prenatal and postnatal perceptions on the following areas: F1 - babies’ positive emotional expressions (α = .881), F2 - maternal fears related with babies’ behavioral meaning (α = .850) and F3 - babies’ appealing behavior (α = .783). For the complete scale internal consistency is excellent (α = .921). CONCLUSION: The QDIBRB seems to be able to assess differences between the imaginary baby and the real baby in a psychometric way. Future research is needed to show if data collected with QDIBRB are useful in the world of perinatal psychology