Abstract
Background: Pregnancy is a period of happiness but also of physical and psychological changes that can lead to distress. Functional coping strategies can reduce the pregnancy specific-stress. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Revised Prenatal Coping Inventory (NuPCI) in an Italian sample and to investigate how coping strategies were associated with pregnancy-specific stress.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, low-risk pregnant women (N=211) were assessed with NuPCI, NuPDQ (Revised-Prenatal Distress Questionnaire), Brief-COPE (Coping Orientation to the Problems Experienced), and STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory). The reliability of NuPCI was evaluated by assessing its internal consistency and factor structure. The concurrent validity between NuPCI and Brief-COPE and NuPDQ and STAI was investigated. Lastly, the relationship between NuPCI and NuPDQ was analyzed, as well as the ability of these scales to predict Apgar score at birth.Results: Internal consistency of NuPCI scales was good for Planning-Preparation (ɑC=0.84) and Spiritual-Positive Coping (ɑC=0.81), acceptable for Avoidance (ɑC=0.76). The original three-factor structure was confirmed, using a promax solution. NuPCI and NuPDQ showed good concurrent validity. The NuPCI scales predicted NuPDQ score (Avoidance and Planning-Preparation positively, Spiritual-Positive Coping negatively). Also, Avoidance and Spiritual-Positive Coping scales were associated respectively to decreasing and to increasing Apgar score, with the moderation of NuPDQ.Conclusions: Italian NuPCI has sound psychometric properties and it is a useful coping measure. NuPDQ showed also a good validity. Our results may suggest a significant role for coping strategies, particularly in modulating the condition of the newborn at birth.