Interpersonal Extrinsic Dysregulation: Rethinking Emotion Dysregulation Across Childhood

Interpersonal extrinsic dysregulation refers to persistent yet miscalibrated or dysregulating attempts to influence others’ emotional states, and 2) pervasive avoidance of emotionally charged interpersonal situations. We conceptualise interpersonal extrinsic dysregulation as distinct from intrapersonal emotion dysregulation and related interpersonal phenomena (e.g., co-rumination, empathy, and parentification), as it specifically concerns the child's role as a regulator of others’ emotions and the systematic miscalibration or avoidance of this regulatory function. This paper presents an integrative developmental framework that conceptualises interpersonal extrinsic dysregulation as a reciprocal process embedded within emotional exchanges across family, peer, and educational contexts. Drawing on attachment theory, social-cognitive learning theory, and reinforcement learning perspectives, we propose that maladaptive interpersonal regulatory orientations emerge through the cumulative effects of early relational experiences, observational learning, and contingently reinforced emotional behaviours. We further examine how stressors across multiple domains, including family conflict, academic pressures, and broader socio-cultural inequalities, may interact over time to exacerbate dysregulation and undermine psychosocial functioning. Extending this across childhood, we outline how interpersonal extrinsic dysregulation may manifest differently from early to late childhood as regulatory capacities and interpersonal demands evolve. We conclude by identifying key priorities for future research, including the need for longitudinal, multi-informant, and observational approaches to clarify the developmental origins, differentiation, and consequences of interpersonal extrinsic dysregulation. By providing the first integrative framework for this construct, this paper aims to advance understanding of children's interpersonal emotion regulation and its role in socioemotional development.Keywords: emotion dysregulation, interpersonal extrinsic dysregulation, emotion development