Marian Deaton

“The Role of Self-Efficacy in the Duration of Breastfeeding up to

Six Months Following Delivery”

Breastfeeding is associated with benefits for both infant and mother. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between maternal self-efficacy and the duration of breastfeeding in a group of mothers in southeastern NC. A descriptive, correlational design was used for study of a convenience sample of 35 new mothers. After delivery, participants completed the Personal Data Form, the Breastfeeding Experience Instrument, and the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale (BSES-SF). Participants were followed up to 6 months to evaluate factors impacting breastfeeding duration. High scores on certain items of the BSES-SF correlated with longer breastfeeding duration. Participants were likely to score higher on certain items if they had previous breastfeeding experience. Implications for practice include using the BSES-SF to identify mothers at risk for early weaning and further research to examine self-efficacy enhancing strategies.