Abstract
In Study I, a scale to assess the intention of self-care behaviors in pregnant women was developed. Factor analysis identified 4 factors consisting of 32 items. These factors were (1) prevention and early discovery of abnormalities in pregnancy, (2) preparation for delivery and mothering, (3) dietary habits, and (4) care in daily life
In Study II, a scale to assess motivation for self-care behaviors was developed. The scale, which included 24 items, consisted of 2 subscales, (1) extrinsic motivation and (2) intrinsic motivation. Using cluster analysis, four patterns of self-care motivation in pregnant women were identified.
In Study III, the relationship between motivation and intention of self-care behaviors among pregnant women was examined. Results of multiple regression analysis showed that intrinsic motivation had a positive influence on intentions of self-care behaviors. The findings suggest that it is necessary to recognize types of motivation before carrying out interventions such as self-care education.
