Emotional Availability

     If you are a Human Development and Family Studies major like I am, you know that almost all classes discuss the importance of caregivers providing warm and responsive parenting. Although it is all easier said than done, parents should set clear rules for their child, be engaging and warm in their tone, and provide consistent support. Through these blogs we have discussed how the above-mentioned factors impact attachment. Attachment theory is just one area of research that focuses on the impact of parent child relationships. Another area of research that focuses on parent child relationships is emotional availability (EA). Emotional availability looks at how we treat and relate to those we are in a relationship with and how we want to be treated by them¹. Our EA is influenced by our interactions with our caregivers during childhood and focuses on the emotional quality of the relationship such as tone of voice, providing physical comfort, and demeanor during interactions¹. To gain a deeper understanding of EA, I interviewed Dr. Zeynep Biringen, an esteemed professor in the HDFS department at CSU. Dr. Biringen has spent most of her professional career researching attachment and EA. To gain a deeper understanding of the differences between attachment theory and EA, I asked Dr. Biringen to discuss the differences between the two theories. 

“The EA framework focuses on “emotions”, which attachment theory and attachment assessments are not necessarily focused on. In addition, the EA framework looks at things dyadically [dialogue between two people], taking into account the parent’s and the child’s perspectives, both separately and together”. 

    In addition to being different in its research focus, EA is unique because it focuses on the individual relationship that we have with others. We can be emotionally available in one relationship but not in others¹. This is a much broader perspective compared to attachment theory. 

    “Emotional availability is a more real-world measure than attachment in the sense that you can measure it anywhere and basically during any amount of time (although the more you have the better). Also, EA is broader than attachment. Technically, attachment is about stressful situations and specifically separation-reunion situations whereas EA is about a much broader relationship phenomenon”. 

    I feel like we can all relate to our EA being different based on what relationship we are discussing. I have seen this phenomenon in my own relationships and my friend’s relationships. I personally am very emotionally available in friendship with my girls. But in romantic relationships, I am very fast to put my walls up and withdrawal from my partner. I believe that emotional availability is unique because it focuses on individual relationships instead of having a broader view focusing on all relationships. Despite the two differences mentioned above, Dr. Biringen indicated that EA and attachment theory are related in the measures they use. 

    “The Emotional availability (EA) Scales are associated with attachment, as measured by the Strange Situation Procedure, the Attachment Q-Set, and the Adult Attachment Interview, at moderate levels, and these other attachment measures are actually related to each other at moderate levels”. 

    In addition to using similar techniques, research has found that children who have an emotionally available relationship with their parent show similar future outcomes as children with a secure attachment style¹. Outcomes of children with higher EA relationships show higher emotional competence and academic achievement, and better peer relationship. It is beneficial for children to have parents who are emotionally available¹. 

    These blogs have shown the importance of parent child relationships through the lens of attachment theory. Attachment theory is a well renowned research topic, but I believe that it is important to look at this influential relationship through a lens of another closely-related research theory. This blog introduced us to emotional availability, and if you are interested, I encourage you to pursue this area of research further. Maybe even reach out to a professor during office hours it’s surprising the information you can discover. 

  ¹Biringen, Z. (2009). The universal language of love. EA Press. ISBN: 0982130309