Chapter 8 highlights exciting recent developments and bodies of knowledge in dyadic health science, as noted by the three authors and the 22 scholars who were interviewed for the book. We begin the chapter with a discussion of how far the field of dyadic health science has come – from growing acceptance of the importance of centering the dyad across different contexts (e.g., research, healthcare) to the field becoming increasingly collaborative and international. From there, we discuss exciting new developments in the field, including greater inclusivity in our samples, the incorporation of biopsychosocial research into dyadic health science, and more scholars taking a balanced approach to understanding the benefits and potential costs of dyadic relationships. We end the chapter by highlighting recent advances in methods, from the incorporation of technology to recent innovations in quantitative methods. Throughout this chapter, we highlight the considerable progress that has been made and underscore our optimism for continued advancement in the field of dyadic health science.

Chapter 9 highlights some of the more commonly acknowledged challenges and tension points that we as established dyadic health scientists believe are salient to the field moving forward. Although some of these have been identified and written about as limitations for decades (e.g., lack of diversity in our samples), we discuss each one with regard to their implication for dyadic health science and propose strategies and future directions. We argue throughout this chapter about the importance of achieving balance in addressing these issues in order to foster sustainable, impactful progress as a field. Finally, we discuss the roles that we can play as part of this field – as scholars, mentors, and reviewers – and discuss our shared responsibility to meet these challenges and ensure dyadic health science continues to be relevant to and representative of all adult dyads navigating health or illness challenges.