Assessing Parental Emotional Availability: Validation of the Arabic Version of the Lum Emotional Availability of Parents (LEAP) Scale

Abstract

Emotional availability (EA) is a critical factor in understanding the quality of parent–child interactions. However, the Lum Emotional Availability of Parents (LEAP) scale, a robust instrument applicable to parents across various age groups, lacks psychometric validation in Arabic. The current study aims to develop an Arabic version of the LEAP scale and evaluate its validity and reliability through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), measurement invariance testing, and the application of the Rasch model. This approach was used to ensure the scale's reliability and accuracy in evaluating parental EA in a culturally relevant manner. The study involved 860 adolescents (mean age = 14.33 years, SD = 1.88) from the Chlef province, Algeria. The sample included 55.8% females and 44.2% males, with the majority having parents who were together (92.4%). Data was collected using the LEAP scale. The EFA revealed a two-factor structure for the LEAP scale, which informed subsequent CFA. Both one-factor and two-factor CFA models were tested; the two-factor model demonstrated better fit indices (e.g., comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.963 and 0.957), whereas the one-factor model showed acceptable but comparatively weaker fit (e.g., CFI = 0.914 and 0.914). Measurement invariance analyses of the two-factor model supported invariance across gender groups. Rasch analysis further supported the two-factor structure, indicating acceptable item fit, an appropriate range of item difficulties, and stable measurement properties across both dimensions. The scale also exhibited strong internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.932 and 0.920). The findings consistently supported a correlated two-factor structure representing Emotional Responsiveness and Relational Validation across both parental forms. Although the two dimensions were highly related and conceptually associated aspects of parental EA, the two-factor solution demonstrated superior psychometric performance relative to the one-factor alternative in this sample. The retention of the two-factor solution was based primarily on superior empirical model fit and theoretically interpretable clustering of item content. The Arabic version of the LEAP scale demonstrated good reliability and satisfactory evidence of structural validity, measurement invariance, and Rasch-based psychometric performance among Algerian adolescents. The present findings provide preliminary psychometric evidence supporting the Arabic adaptation of the LEAP scale within an Algerian adolescent sample and may facilitate future research examining parental EA in Arabic-speaking contexts.