Emotional Availability: Theory, Research, and Intervention

Overview

Journal Front Psychol

Date 2015 Aug 19

PMID 26283996

Citations 29

Authors

Hannah Saunders

Allyson Kraus

Lavinia Barone

Zeynep Biringen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969) and its limitations are first described. Next, emotional availability (EA; Biringen et al., 1998; Biringen, 2008) is introduced as an expansion upon the original conceptualization of the parent-child attachment relationship. As a construct and as a measure, EA considers the dyadic and emotional qualities of adult-child relationships. EA is predictive of a variety of child outcomes, such as attachment security, emotion regulation, and school readiness. Recently developed programs to enhance adult-child EA are described.

Citing Articles

Maternal Emotional Availability Supports Child Communicative Development Regardless of Child Temperament-Findings From the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study.

Ollas-Skogster D, Korja R, Yada A, Mainela-Arnold E, Karlsson H, Bridgett D Infancy. 2025; 30(1):e12649.

PMID: 39853895 PMC: 11758768. DOI: 10.1111/infa.12649.

Maternal alexithymia and caregiving behavior: the role of executive functioning - A FinnBrain Birth Cohort study.

Nordenswan E, Deater-Deckard K, Kataja E, Karrasch M, Laine M, Pelto J Arch Womens Ment Health. 2024; 28(1):67-75.

PMID: 39499315 PMC: 11761824. DOI: 10.1007/s00737-024-01523-4.

Parent-child interaction after home-visiting intervention for children born extremely preterm-A randomised clinical trial.

Baraldi E, Allodi M, Lowing K, Wadstrom N, Smedler A, Ortqvist M Acta Paediatr. 2024; 114(1):74-82.

PMID: 39215963 PMC: 11627441. DOI: 10.1111/apa.17399.

Mother-Infant Interaction and Maternal Postnatal Psychological Distress Associate with Child's Social-Emotional Development During Early Childhood: A FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study.

Lahtela H, Flykt M, Nolvi S, Kataja E, Eskola E, Tervahartiala K Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2024; .

PMID: 38625659 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-024-01694-2.

Assessment and Diagnostic Classification Using DC:0-5 in Early Childhood Mental Health Clinics: The Protocol for the Developmental Psychiatry Diagnostic Challenges Study (DePsy).

Bodeker K, Watrin-Avino L, Martin A, Schlensog-Schuster F, Janssen M, Friese L Children (Basel). 2023; 10(11).

PMID: 38002860 PMC: 10670515. DOI: 10.3390/children10111770.

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