Examining the Association Between Emotional Availability and Mindful Parenting

Abstract

This study examined the associations between emotional availability (EA) and mindful parenting (MP), as well as their independent and combined associations with indicators of adolescent well-being. EA is a well-established measure of parent-child relationship quality and conceptualized to be a life-span measure of emotional connection in relationships. Thus far, the EA literature spans pregnancy to middle childhood. The current study extends the concept into the adolescence. MP is a construct shown to be associated with both positive parent-child relationships and adolescent well-being. The current study tests the association among EA, MP, and indicators of adolescent well-being in a sample of 30 mother-adolescent dyads (adolescent ages 10-14 years). EA and MP were assessed through observational coding of parent-adolescent interactions. Results indicated significant associations between EA and MP, and between each construct and adolescent outcomes. The strongest correlations were found between global scores of MP and EA (.53), and between MP subscales and the EA Scales of sensitivity (0.44-0.56) and structuring (0.48-0.59). One EA scale, adult nonhostility, and one MP scale, nonjudgmental acceptance of self and child, were significant predictors of parent-reported adolescent externalizing problems, independently and after accounting for the other (p < 0.05). These results indicate there are significant relations between EA and MP and both constructs are related to adolescent outcomes, with some specific contributions to indicators of adolescent well-being.