Validity and Reliability of the Korean Version of the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (K-PBQ)

Purpose: We evaluated the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (K-PBQ) among Korean parents with children under 12 months of age. Methods: The K-PBQ was translated considering Korean cultural validity through translation, back-translation, and expert panel review. Construct validity was tested by conducting both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with data from 308 couples (N=616). Convergent and discriminant validity were performed using correlations between the K-PBQ and instruments measuring the concepts of attachment, postnatal depression, and dyadic adjustment. The reliability of the K-PBQ was calculated using Cronbach’s ⍺ coefficients. Results: EFA revealed that the 25-item K-PBQ was composed of two factors: impaired bonding (17 items) and the burden of infant care (8 items). The results of the final model fit were acceptable. Known-group validity showed that the K-PBQ score of the postnatal depressed group was significantly higher than that of the non-depressed group. The Cronbach’s ⍺ of the K-PBQ was .95. Conclusion: The K-PBQ was verified as a valid and reliable scale to measure postpartum bonding among parents with children under 12 months of age in Korea. It may contribute to facilitating further research on parent-infant bonding.