Description

The Lum Emotional Availability of Parents Measure (LEAP) is a psychological assessment tool designed to evaluate the emotional availability of parents as perceived by their children. The measure focuses on assessing how well parents are able to respond to and support their children’s emotional needs. It includes dimensions such as emotional responsiveness, sensitivity, and engagement.

Data Analysis and Usage

Data Collection: The LEAP involves collecting responses from children or adolescents regarding their perceptions of their parents’ emotional availability. This can be done through self-report questionnaires or interviews.
Data Processing: Responses are scored based on the extent to which parents are perceived to be emotionally available and responsive. The scoring system typically involves rating items on a Likert scale, from “not at all true” to “very true.”
Data Interpretation: Scores are analyzed to identify levels of emotional availability and areas where parental support may be lacking. Patterns in the data can reveal the impact of parental emotional availability on children’s emotional and psychological well-being.
Application: Results from the LEAP can be used by therapists, counselors, and researchers to understand and address issues related to parental emotional support. This information can inform interventions aimed at improving parent-child relationships and enhancing family dynamics.

Objectives

The primary objectives of the Lum Emotional Availability of Parents Measure (LEAP) are:
Assessment of Emotional Availability: To measure how emotionally available and responsive parents are to their children’s needs.
Identification of Areas for Improvement: To identify specific areas where parents may need support or training to improve their emotional availability and responsiveness.
Enhancement of Parent-Child Relationships: To provide insights that can help in developing interventions and strategies to strengthen parent-child relationships and support children’s emotional development.
Research and Evaluation: To contribute to research on the impact of parental emotional availability on children’s well-being and development.

Calibration

Scoring: Items on the LEAP are scored based on responses. Higher scores generally indicate greater perceived emotional availability by parents. The scale may include subscales to measure different aspects of emotional availability.
Statistical Analysis: The reliability and validity of the LEAP are assessed through statistical methods, including internal consistency checks (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) and factor analysis to ensure that the scale accurately measures the intended constructs.
Normative Data: Comparative analysis with normative data helps in understanding how an individual’s scores compare to those of a broader population, providing context for interpreting the results.

Bibliography

Lum, J. D., & Moore, B. (1995). Measuring Parental Emotional Availability: The Lum Emotional Availability of Parents Measure (LEAP). Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 36(1), 79-92.
Maccoby, E. E., & Martin, J. A. (1983). Socialization in the context of the family: Parent-child interaction. In E. M. Hetherington (Ed.), Handbook of Child Psychology: Vol. 4. Child Psychology in Practice. Wiley.
Crittenden, P. M. (2008). The Dynamic-Maturational Model of Attachment and Adaptation. W.W. Norton & Company.
Ainsworth, M. D. S., Blehar, M. C., Waters, E., & Wall, S. (1978). Patterns of Attachment: A Psychological Study of the Strange Situation. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.