When Parents Step In: Adolescents’ Negative Emotions Precede – Not Follow – Everyday Moments of Overprotection

Parental overprotection is often blamed for rising youth emotional problems, yet longitudinal evidence is limited. This Experience Sampling study examined within-family linkages between overprotection and adolescent affect. Over seven days, 143 adolescents (Mage=15.8, age range=11-18; 64% girls, 92% Dutch/Belgian) provided momentary reports on perceived overprotection (intrusion, unnecessary worry, unneeded help) and positive and negative affect. Preregistered Dynamic Structural Equation Models showed within-family links between perceived overprotection and negative (not positive) affect. Negative affect predicted more perceived overprotection in the next moment. Overprotection predicted increased concurrent negative affect but not later negative affect, except unneeded help predicting fear. Findings mostly suggest adolescents perceive more overprotection after distress, not vice versa, supporting a youth-driven explanation for its association with adolescent emotional problems.