Biased and inflexible interpretations of social situations predict depressive symptoms and relational outcomes in parent-adolescent dyads

Adolescence is a critical period for social-emotional development, characterized by increased risk for psychopathology and disruptive changes in the parent-adolescent relationship. Biased and inflexible interpretations of social situations have been linked to psychopathology and adaptive social functioning, but these associations are rarely studied in adolescence. To address this gap, the present study examined whether interpretation bias and cognitive inflexibility are associated between parents and adolescents, and whether these factors relate to depressive symptoms and relational perceptions. A sample of 112 parents and adolescents recruited online from the general population completed at baseline the Bias Against Disconfirmatory Evidence task and measures of perceived partner responsiveness and insensitivity, followed by a 28-day diary. Parents' and adolescents' negative biases were moderately and positively correlated, but not their positive bias or inflexibility. Negative bias and inflexibility in both negative and positive interpretations predicted higher levels of depressive symptoms. Regarding relational perceptions, an interesting picture emerged: positive bias was related to perceived responsiveness, negative bias was related to perceived insensitivity, and inflexibility was associated with both perceived responsiveness and insensitivity. Extending beyond their established role in psychopathology, our results demonstrate that interpretation biases and inflexibility may influence the maintenance of close relationships through their effects on how parents and adolescents perceive each other's responsiveness and insensitivity in daily interactions. These findings suggest that therapeutic interventions should assess biased and inflexible interpretations in both parents and adolescents and address them when present to improve depressive symptoms and relationship quality.