A psychometric study of the Emotional Availability Scales: Construct validity and measurement invariance between depressed and nondepressed mother–infant dyads.

Abstract

This study reports new validity evidence relating to the Emotional Availability Scales, the most popular observational measure of parent-child relationships. Results challenged the emotional availability theory, underscoring the importance of empirical validations of assessment measures.

Supporting early infant relationships and reducing maternal distress with the Newborn Behavioral Observations: A randomized controlled effectiveness trial

“…Further, despite common practice, and their use in this study, recent higher‐order factor analysis raises unresolved questions about the validity of reporting individual EAS scales. This study's findings should be interpreted in light of these limitations and future intervention studies will benefit from further psychometric refinement of interaction measures (Aran et al., 2021; Bohr et al., 2018; Gridley et al., 2019). It was beyond scope to test for intervention effects on family, or beyond infant age 4 months/T8.…”

“…An overall EA score is generated by adding the six direct global scores (range 6–42). Recent Australian research raises unresolved questions about optimum EAS data analysis (Aran et al., 2021). In the current study, direct and total scores for all six scales, plus overall EA scores, are reported for 20‐min free play.…”

Observed Emotional Availability<bold> (EA) in the Early Months and Adolescence and Self-Reported EA at Any Age: A Narrative Review</bold>

“…Maternal sensitivity negatively predicted children's BMI standard deviation scores in girls. This provides evidence that looking at individual dimensions as the dimensions do not all predict similarly, despite the collinearity and all loading onto one factor (Aran et al, 2021a). Also with normative samples, studies that include the early months underscore the link between EA and cognition (e.g., False Belief Understanding, Theory of Mind, goal encoding ability), as well as different aspects of selfconcept.…”

“…Given that the scales show moderate-to-high intercorrelations, it is valuable to do factor analyses to better understand how many orthogonal factors there may be. Aran et al (2021a) reported that all the dimensions loaded on one factor. However, in so doing, for example, it is a questionable practice to enter parents and children in the same factor analysis (Aran et al, 2021a).…”

“…All in all, it is still important to keep in mind that many mothers with depressive symptomatology during pregnancy are able to parent effectively, once they have their baby in arms. Aran et al (2021a) studied mothers from pregnancy to 12 months of age and found that after accounting for antidepressant use, EA (mother composite as well as a child composite) was lower in those with a lifetime history of major depressive disorder (MDD) as compared to those who did not have any prior history. Those who used antidepressants in pregnancy were lower in EA, as compared to those who did not use pharmacological intervention.…”