Mother Behavior Q-Set (MBQS): Dimensionality of the Mother Behavior Q-Set in samples from Mexico, Colombia and Uruguay Mother Behavior Q-Set (MBQS)Dimensionalidad del Q-set del comportamiento materno en muestras de México, Colombia y Uruguay

Abstract

Sensitivity refers to the caregiver’ ability to perceive infant’s cues, interpret them correctly, and respond to them in a contingent and appropriate way. The Maternal Behavior Q Set (MBQS) was created from theoretical and empirical descriptions of sensitivity. Q-methodology is associated with the quantitative methodology because they assign scores; in addition, it combines qualitative methodology by making a systematic study of subjectivity. Few papers are concerned with exploring the analysis, internal validity, reliability, or external replicability of Q studies. Usually analyses reduces data to a few summarizing factors, based on principal component analysis or centroid factor analysis. Q-factor analysis method was developed especially for q-sorted data; it is a by-person factor analysis which is used to identify groups of participants who make sense of a pool of items in comparable way. The aim of this study was to find evidence regarding the validity based on the internal structure of the MBQS using the R software and the qmethod package. 37 Mexican mother-baby dyads, 35 Colombian and 24 Uruguayan dyads collaborated. In 2002, Posada et al. proposed seven scales. The scales in which our factorial model presented a good fit are those with the fewest items, which may be indicative that the lack of fit has to do with the identification of the model because there are few observations. We consider that both the use of the MBQS to assess sensitivity and the qmethod package to perform the analysis is novel, relevant and pertinent.