The Factor Structure of the Tokophobia Scale and Measurement Invariance Based on Pregnancy Frequency

Abstract

Objectives: The study aimed to examine the factor structure of the Tokophobia scale and assess its measurement invariance based on the number of pregnancies.

Methodology: A descriptive correlational approach was employed. The study was conducted on a convenience sample of 819 married women from Irbid Governorate in Jordan. The culturally adapted version of the Tokophobia scale (Nunes et al., 2021), originally consisting of 25 items, was utilized. After translation, expert review, and verification of content and face validity, 23 items were retained for the final analysis. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed using Principal Component Analysis with Varmax rotation. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted using AMOS software, along with Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) to assess measurement invariance based on the number of pregnancies.

Results: The EFA revealed three main factors explaining 56.21% of the total variance: pathological fear of childbirth, fear-related dysfunction, and physical and emotional response. CFA fit indices indicated a high model fit (CFI = 0.997, TLI = 0.997, RMSEA = 0.011, χ²/df = 1.094). MGCFA results confirmed the achievement of configural, metric, scalar, and residual invariance, indicating stability of the scale’s factor structure among first-time and multiparous pregnant women.

Conclusion: The study concluded that the modified scale is a valid and reliable tool for assessing tokophobia among pregnant women in Arab contexts and can be clinically utilized to identify severe cases and support early psychological intervention.