Risk and Protective Factors in Social Interactions: Behavioral and Neural Evidence

Dear Colleagues,

Social interactions uniquely influence an individual’s mental health from infancy to old age. Interactions with parents, peers, teachers, marital partners, and colleagues at work carry substantial implications, acting as pivotal sources in the normative development of social skills and emotional adjustment throughout one’s lifetime. Consequently, it is imperative to discern both the risk and protective factors embedded in social interactions to foster positive interpersonal relationships and alleviate adjustment challenges. Yet, several pertinent questions necessitate further exploration. For example, what intricate relationships exist among diverse risk and protective factors that underlie social interactions? Can we delve into the disparities in these factors across different developmental periods? How do these factors manifest in social interactions within diverse cultural contexts? What are the implications of emerging forms of social interactions (e.g., cyberbullying)? Is it feasible to uncover more neural foundations for these social interactions through advanced techniques (e.g., hyperscanning)? Given these considerations, this Topic aims to advance the existing literature on the risk and protective factors in social interactions. In light of this goal, we invite papers presenting empirical research supplemented by behavioral and neural evidence. Meta-analysis and systematic reviews are also welcomed.

Dr. Xuechen Ding
Dr. Wan Ding
Dr. Liyang Sai
Topic Editors