Development and validation of a new scale to assess motivations for fostering

This study examined the psychometric properties of a newly developed scale to assess motivations for fostering. A total of 447 Portuguese adults completed online the MIAF–Motivations for Fostering Scale (MIAF-MFS; ProChild CoLAB & SCML, 2024) and reported on sociodemographic data, perceived knowledge about family foster care, and intention of becoming a foster family. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed a 4-structure factor. Convergent validity was shown by significant associations between the MIAF-MFS factors and perceived knowledge about family foster care and intention of becoming a foster family. The MIAF-MFS factors presented are acceptable to high reliability.