Papers by rakhshanda liaqat
Frontiers in Psychology, Jun 15, 2021
Background: The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) is a short and reliabl... more Background: The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) is a short and reliable instrument that assesses perceived social support from the social network of an individual. A previous study in Pakistan among postpartum women has demonstrated a unidimensional factor structure in contrast to the original three-factor structure. The emergence of a one-factor structure for postpartum women in Pakistan may be due to traditional postpartum practices unique to the women of the subcontinent. Building upon the previous evidence, this study aims to explore the psychometric properties of MSPSS among pregnant women in their third trimester in rural Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 2014 to February 2016, in rural Pakistan. A sample of 1,154 pregnant women (aged ≥ 18 years) in their third trimester who were registered with the local Lady Health Worker Program and were living in the north of the Punjab Province was included in this study. They were assessed using Urdu translated scales of Patient Health Questionnaire, MSPSS, Maternal Social Support Index, and Perceived Stress Scale. Principal Axis Factoring was used to assess the construct validity of the MSPSS. Results: The MSPSS scale showed an excellent internal consistency, yielding a Cronbach's α-value of 0.933. The MSPSS scale exhibited an excellent construct validity, and confirmatory factor analysis retained three factors (family, friends, and significant others) for both the depressed and non-depressed samples. Internal reliability and construct validity were also established. Conclusion: The psychometric findings suggest that the tridimensional structure of MSPSS is a valid and reliable measure of perceived social support among the Pakistani population with and without perinatal depression. The perceived social support is an important predictor of maternal mental well-being and psychopathologies, and the MSPSS can serve as a useful tool in mental health research in Pakistan.
Clinical Rehabilitation, 2010
Objective: To develop and field test the Multidimensional Acceptance of Loss Scale to measure dis... more Objective: To develop and field test the Multidimensional Acceptance of Loss Scale to measure disability acceptance based on the four value changes identified by Beatrice Wright. Design: Quantitative descriptive design using exploratory factor analysis to determine the factorial validity of the Multidimensional Acceptance of Loss Scale. Setting: The Canadian Paraplegic Association. Subjects: One hundred and sixty-one members of the Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Manitoba chapters of the Canadian Paraplegic Association were recruited for the current study. Results: A four-factor structure accounting for 50% of the total variance was found for the Multidimensional Acceptance of Loss Scale. The internal consistency reliability coefficients (Cronbach’s alpha) for the four factors ranged from 0.80 to 0.88. Three clusters of participants with high, moderate and low disability acceptance were identified based on their profiles of Multidimensional Acceptance of Loss Scale subscale s...
The Lancet Psychiatry, 2015
Background: Perinatal depression has been linked with deleterious child development outcomes, yet... more Background: Perinatal depression has been linked with deleterious child development outcomes, yet there is limited evidence of maternal depression interventions having lasting impacts on child development, and no previous evidence from a developing country. The Thinking Healthy Programme (THP) RCT was a perinatal depression intervention in Pakistan in 2006-2007; the THP was found to significantly reduce depression levels 12-months post-partum relative to the control arm. We evaluated the THP intervention's impact on cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical development of children 7 years post-intervention. Methods: Mother-child dyads who participated in the THP RCT were interviewed at mean child age 7.6 years. Additionally, a reference group of 300 mothers who were non-depressed prenatally, and not part of the intervention, was enrolled with their children at the same time. The primary cognitive outcome was the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-IV (WPPSI-IV); socio-emotional outcomes included the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS); physical outcomes were height,-weight and BMI z-scores. Generalized linear modelling with random effects to account for clustering was the main method of analysis. Results: Of the 705 THP participating mother-child dyads interviewed at the end of the trial, 584 dyads were successfully re-enrolled (83% re-enrollment rate). Children in the treatment and control arms did not differ on overall cognitive, socio-emotional, or physical development outcomes. When compared with the reference group of children whose mothers were non-depressed prenatally, the THP trial children had higher (worse) SDQ Total Difficulty, beta=0••78 (95% CI 0••09, 1••47) and anxiety symptom 3 scores, beta=2••93 (95% CI 1••15-4••71); there were no differences in full scale IQ or height-weight-BMI z-scores. Conclusions: Further exploration is needed to understand what kinds of complex interventions or approaches are needed for long term maternal and child well-being gains. Longer, more detailed and more frequent follow-up is warranted for all interventions.
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Papers by rakhshanda liaqat