The Labour Agentry Scale (LAS) is an instrument for measuring expectancies and experiences of personal control during childbirth. Multiple forms were created and tested (A, B, C and D) and include an antepartum and postpartum version.
Developed by:
Ellen D. Hodnett, Daryl A. Simmons-Tropea
Measure domains:
Y
Items and subscales:
Form A = 76 items
Form B= 28 items
Forms C & D= 29 items
Form B= 28 items
Forms C & D= 29 items
Outcomes predicted:
Anxiety
Ability to ambulate during labor
Forgoing analgesia and anesthesia
Perceived quality of human support during childbirth
Satisfaction with childbirth
Spontaneous births
Use of pharmacological pain-relief measures
Ability to ambulate during labor
Forgoing analgesia and anesthesia
Perceived quality of human support during childbirth
Satisfaction with childbirth
Spontaneous births
Use of pharmacological pain-relief measures
Cronbach's alpha:
Form A= not reported
Form B= 0.98
Form C= 0.93
Form B= 0.98
Form C= 0.93
Study population(s):
Predominantly middle class, prenatally-educated, caucasian women from one Canadian city who experienced normal pregnancies.
Additional information:
Oliver's Labor Scale (1972) provided the basis for the development of the current measure.
Measure validated?:
Y
Link(s) to Validation Study and/or Measure:
Uses in Other Studies:
Cheung, W., Ip, W.-Y., & Chan, D. (2007). Maternal anxiety and feelings of control during labour: a study of Chinese first-time pregnant women. Midwifery, 23(2), 123–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2006.05.001
Citation of original article
Get citationHodnett, E. D., & Simmons-Tropea, D. A. (1987). The labour agentry scale: Psychometric properties of an instrument measuring control during childbirth. Research in Nursing & Health, 10(5), 301–310. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.4770100503