A study abroad (SA) period is considered an optimum environment for developing pragmatic competence because of the unparalleled target-language access it provides. Within this context, pragmatic development has received extensive attention over the last two decades, during which we have seen an evolution in research orientations. Existing studies employ quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches, building on each other to paint a picture of SA pragmatic development as an inherently dynamic process contingent on interdependence between a range of cognitive, affective, behavioural, and contextual factors. This chapter will reflect on existing research in this area, focusing on the approach, contributions, and limitations of a range of studies, as well as highlighting research desiderata and recommending research directions for future studies.