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Emotional availability: conceptualization and research findings
1Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA. biringen@cahs.colostate.edu
The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
|March 7, 2000
Summary
Emotional availability (EA) describes parent-child interaction quality, encompassing parental sensitivity and child responsiveness. This research reviews EA
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Family Studies
Background:
- The construct of emotional availability (EA) was introduced in 1991 to assess parent-child interaction quality.
- Significant refinements have since enhanced the definition and measurement of EA.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the empirical links between emotional availability and attachment.
- To examine the relationship between emotional availability and the broader parent-child relationship.
- To suggest future research directions for the emotional availability construct.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing empirical literature on emotional availability.
- Analysis of studies examining the connection between EA, attachment, and parent-child relationships.
Main Results:
- Emotional availability encompasses key parental dimensions: sensitivity, structuring, non-intrusiveness, and non-hostility.
- Child dimensions include responsiveness to the parent and involvement of the parent.
- Established empirical links exist between EA, attachment security, and overall parent-child relationship quality.
Conclusions:
- Emotional availability is a well-defined construct with significant implications for understanding parent-child dynamics.
- Further research is warranted to explore the nuances and applications of emotional availability in diverse contexts.