Parenting Adolescents: Addressing the Question of Universality versus Uniqueness with Family-Specific Research

Parents can promote adolescent well-being and adjustment by providing warmth, supporting autonomy, and through regulation. It remains an unresolved theoretical question whether these parenting practices are universally beneficial or have unique effects on individual adolescents. Recent intensive longitudinal studies (e.g., daily diaries) suggest that parental warmth and autonomy support are related to positive outcomes in most youth. However, opposing effects occur in a minority of individuals, in specific situations, and may only emerge after a while. Our new conceptual model guides future research to better understand why, for whom, when, and how parenting processes are universal or unique. These insights, which can be obtained with family-specific research, will be crucial for informing both universal and tailored parenting interventions.