Dynamic characteristics of parent–adolescent closeness: Predicting adolescent emotion dysregulation

Abstract

Emotion dysregulation is linked to adolescent psychological problems. However, little is known about how lability in daily closeness of parent–adolescent dyads affects the development of emotion dysregulation. This study examined how closeness lability with parents was associated with emotion dysregulation 12 months later. The sample included 144 adolescents (M = 14.62, SD = 0.83) who participated in a baseline assessment, 21-day daily diaries, and a 12-month follow-up assessment. Parents and adolescents both reported adolescent emotion dysregulation at baseline and follow-up assessments, while adolescents reported daily parent–adolescent closeness. Results indicate that lability in father–adolescent closeness was associated with increased emotion dysregulation at 12 months reported by adolescents. However, lability in mother–adolescent closeness was not associated with adolescent emotion dysregulation. Moreover, when baseline father–adolescent closeness was high, greater lability in father–adolescent closeness was associated with decreased emotion dysregulation. Findings indicate that daily fluctuations in father–adolescent closeness are a key family characteristic that links to long-term adolescent emotion dysregulation.