Measuring Maternal Sensitivity: Cultural Variations in the Measurement of Emotional Availability.

The validity of the Emotional Availability (EA) sensitivity scale was examined in Singapore. Participants were mainly from middle-class families of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and "Other" ethnic groups. Study 1 involved 30 mother-child dyads (children aged 4-6). Scores on EA sensitivity and the Maternal Behavior Q-set were highly correlated, suggesting convergent validity. In Study 2 (164 mother-child dyads), criterion validity was tested by the associations between EA sensitivity and children's vocabulary and likability by peers. Unlike findings from similar studies conducted in the United States, EA sensitivity was negatively correlated with children's likability by female peers, suggesting that measures developed in Western contexts may not be fully applicable locally, or that the meaning of sensitivity may vary across cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]