• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.103-119
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to explore the mediating effects of preschooler's effortful control on the relationship between maternal emotional availability and preschooler's social skills and problem behaviors. One hundred-thirty six 5-year-old preschoolers and their mothers participated in this study. Instruments for this study were the Emotional Availability Scale for maternal emotional availability, the Delay task, and the Child Behavior Questionnaire for preschooler's effortful control, and the Social Skill Rating Scale, K-CBCL 1.5-5 and K-TRF for preschooler's social skills and problem behaviors. The resulting data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, partial correlation, and structural equation modeling analysis. As predicted, the preschooler's effortful control mediated the effects of maternal emotional availability on preschooler's social skills and problem behaviors. In conclusion, the preschooler's effortful control mediates the effects of emotion related socialization behavior on the preschooler's socio-emotional adjustment.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.223-242
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• 2012

The main purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the variables of infant temperament, maternal emotional availability, infant emotional responsiveness and involvement. A total of 60 infants and their mothers participated in this study. Mother-infant dyads were observed and mothers then completed questionnaires. Data was analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, t-tests, Pearson's correlations and hierarchical regressions. In terms of infant emotional responsiveness, maternal sensitivity and non-hostility, these were revealed to have had an effect on infant emotional responsiveness. Moreover, infants who have mothers who had the ability to read their infants' emotional signals accurately, responded in appropriate ways and interacted with affection, showed a higher level of responsiveness. In terms of infant emotional involvement, maternal structuring had an effect on infant emotional involvement. That is, infants who have mothers willing to support their infants through appropriate guidance and facilitate their interaction were more emotionally involved during the play sessions. In conclusion, maternal sensitivity, non-hostility and structuring were all related to infant emotional responsiveness and involvement, however, the degree of the effects of these variables differed.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.23-45
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• 2010

The purposes of this study were to explore the level of emotional availability of working mothers and their 24~48month-olds (67 dyads: 33 boys and 34 girls) in child care centers and to examine the relationship between the mother-child emotional availability and the related variables of working mothers and their children. Emotional Availability Scales (EA, 3rd edition) developed by Biringen, Z., Robinson, J., & and Emde, R.N. (1998) was used. Mother's work-family conflict, maternal parenting stress, and maternal depression, temperament of child, personal background were measured. The results of this study were as follows: The level of mother-child emotional availability was above in the middle level. There were significant differences in the mother-child emotional availability by maternal educational level and family income level, and significant negative correlation between maternal parenting stress and mother-child emotional availability. There was significant difference in the mother-child emotional availability by the starting point of child care experience. Mother-child emotional availability were significantly explained by family income level, maternal parenting stress, and the starting point of child care experience.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.95-107
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• 2011

Recent intervention studies document that mother-child dyads with higher levels of Emotional Availability (EA) report fewer child behavior problems than dyads with lower EA. This study examines possible mechanisms that lead to this result by looking at the parent-child micro-system as a whole, with multi-dimensional relationships that include individual differences in the child's cognitive level, parental stress and parent-child interaction. A total 67 children ($1{\frac{1}{2}}$ to $5\;{\frac{1}{2}}$ years of age) and their mothers were videotaped during 30-min play interactions. Interactions were coded using the Emotional Availability (EA) Scales (Biringen, Robinson, & Emde, 1998). Mothers completed Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, Child Behavior Checklist/$1\;{\frac{1}{2}}$ - 5, and the Ages Stages Questionnaire. The findings showed that mothers with higher levels of parenting stress were more likely to be intrusive, hostile, insensitive, and had a tendency to do less structuring in play. The children of stressed and depressed mothers demonstrated less involvement and responsiveness towards their mothers. Children who have higher dyadic EA scores experienced fewer externalizing and internalizing problems. SEM analyses results showed a mediation effect of EA on the association between maternal psychological well-being and child behavior problems. Fewer deficits in child communication skills and problem solving skills that were related with lower parenting stress and depression were associated with higher maternal non-intrusiveness. Higher non-intrusiveness was related to less internalizing and externalizing problems that indicated the indirect effect of child cognitive competence. Possible interpretations and implications of the study findings are discussed.