Long-Term Effects of Parent–Child Relationship on Child Social and Emotional Development—Mechanisms and Pathways

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue invites contributions that deepen our understanding of how the quality and dynamics of the parent–child relationship influence children’s social and emotional development over time. Central to this collection is the premise that early caregiving experiences set in motion enduring pathways—both protective and risk-laden—that shape children’s capacities for emotional regulation, peer interaction, self-concept, and mental health. We particularly welcome empirical and theoretical work that elucidates mechanisms (such as attachment security, co-regulation, parenting stress, and parental mental health) and pathways (for example, cumulative risk, transactional models, and resilience processes) through which parent–child relational patterns exert influence from infancy into adolescence and beyond. Multi-method, longitudinal designs are encouraged, as are studies that examine moderating and mediating factors (e.g., socio-economic status, culture, sibling/peer contexts). Intervention and prevention perspectives—showing how relational processes may be harnessed to promote positive social–emotional outcomes—are also highly valued. By convening research across developmental stages and contexts, this Special Issue aims to chart a holistic map of how parent–child relationships help shape children’s social and emotional trajectories in the long term.

Topics of Interest

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies examining parent–child relationship quality and later child outcomes;
• Attachment, bonding, and co-regulation as mechanisms of socio-emotional development;
• Parenting stress, parental mental health, and their intergenerational effects;
• Emotion regulation, empathy, and prosocial behavior as developmental outcomes;
• The role of contextual factors (e.g., socio-economic status, culture, family structure) in shaping relational pathways;
• Transactional and dynamic system models of parent–child interaction;
• Neurobiological and psychophysiological correlates of parent–child relationship processes;
• Intervention and prevention programs aimed at strengthening parent–child relationships;
• Resilience and protective factors buffering adverse relational experiences;
• Methodological advances in measuring and modeling relational influences over time.

Dr. Kim Alyousefi-van Dijk
Guest Editor

Dr. Renate Buisman
Co-Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• parent–child relationship
• attachment
• social–emotional development
• parenting
• co-regulation
• longitudinal research
• resilience
• family context
• developmental mechanisms
• mental health