Psychometric Validation of the Mother–Infant Bonding Scale in Greek Mothers up to 1 Year Postpartum

Research suggests that the quality of mother-infant bonding (MIB) is a critical factor for long-term infant development. This study aimed to culturally adapt and psychometrically validate the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS) for use among Greek mothers. <b>Methods:</b> A total of 750 mothers (<i>M</i>age = 33.6 ± 4.6) with infants aged 0-12 months completed the MIBS and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. The sample was randomly split to conduct exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA/CFA). <b>Results</b>: Analyses supported a unidimensional structure after removal of the 'protective' item. The MIBS demonstrated good reliability and convergent validity against the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). <b>Discussion:</b> MIBS is a reliable and valid tool to assess bonding in a general population of Greek mothers up to one year postpartum. Future studies should examine the structure of MIBS in different timepoints during the postpartum period. The MIBS appears to be a reliable screening instrument for early identification of bonding difficulties.