Novel Insights into Longstanding Theories of Bidirectional Parent–Child Influences: Introduction to the Special Section

Abstract

Although bidirectional parent and child influences have been incorporated in theoretical models pertaining to the development of internalizing and externalizing behaviors in youth, studies have historically focused on the socializing influence that parents have on their children. This has left several important research questions unanswered about the nature of bidirectional parent–child relations across development, including how these bidirectional effects are related to different types of child and adolescent psychopathology. The goal of this special section is to examine some longstanding issues regarding the nature of bidirectional parent–child effects across time using a diverse array of longitudinal datasets. The results from these studies emphasize the importance of considering bidirectional effects in developmental psychopathology research, particularly the often overlooked influence that children and adolescents have on their parents’ behavior and emotional well-being. Following these empirical articles, an expert in the field provides a scholarly commentary designed to outline the progress that has been made in understanding bidirectional parent–child effects across development as well as to propose fruitful areas for future research.