The aim of this chapter is to specify the characteristics and processes of parent-child relationships that sustain the centrality of the family amid the extensive changes of adolescence. We will argue that it is the content and the quality of these relationships, rather than the actions of either parent or adolescent alone, that determine the nature and extent of family influences on adolescent development. We will also argue that divergence between academic prescriptions and public perceptions about parent-adolescent relationships can be traced to the relative emphasis that each places on potential individual differences. The chapter reflects three premises that have emerged from the sizable literature on parent-child relationships during adolescence. First, relationships with parents undergo transformations across the adolescent years that set the stage for less hierarchical interactions during adulthood. Second, family relationships have far-reaching implications for concurrent and long-term relationships with friends, romantic partners, teachers, and other adults, as well as for individual mental health, psychosocial adjustment, school performance, and eventual occupational choice and success. Third, contextual and cultural variations significantly shape family relationships and experiences that, in turn, affect the course and outcomes of development both during and beyond adolescence. The chapter is divided into four main sections. The first section outlines theoretical views of parent-adolescent relationships and their developmental significance. The second section focuses on the behavior of parents and children and on interpersonal processes between them, with particular attention given to the distinctive characteristics of parent-child relationships and how these relationships change during adolescence. The third section considers whether and how parent-child relationships and their transformations are significant for adolescent development. The fourth section focuses on variability in parent-child relationships during adolescence as a function of structural, economic, and demographic distinctions among families.(PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)