Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model of human development

Simple item page
dc.check.date2026-03-31en
dc.check.infoAccess to this article is restricted until 12 months after publication by request of the publisheren
dc.contributor.authorLynch, Helenen
dc.contributor.authorO'Toole, Leahen
dc.contributor.editorIkiugu , Moses N.en
dc.contributor.editorTaff , Steven D.en
dc.contributor.editorKantartzis , Sarahen
dc.contributor.editorPollard, Nicken
dc.date.accessioned2025-05-20T14:12:53Z
dc.date.available2025-05-20T14:12:53Z
dc.date.issued2025-03-31
dc.description.abstractWithin developmental science, contemporary theories of child development in the 1980s and 1990s recognised the importance of context (how nurture influences ‘nature’), resulting in an integrated view of development. Within this perspective, knowledge of children’s occupations and human development requires the understanding and application of ecological theories and concepts relating to the contexts and environments in which occupations are enacted. This chapter explores arguably the most influential ecological transactional model for psychology, sociology, and possibly occupational therapy, Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of human development. The chapter begins with a historical overview of the model, including some critiques of the theory since its inception. We then examine how it contributes to understanding human occupation as a transactional process. This is followed by exploring sample studies that have adopted a bioecological lens in occupational therapy research. A case study shows how the model can intensify contextual understandings and strengthen occupational therapy practice. We argue that applying Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of human development can enable practitioners to implement more authentic and impactful solutions, responding to issues of occupational development in childhood for the 21st century.en
dc.description.statusPeer revieweden
dc.description.versionAccepted Versionen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.citationLynch, H. and O'Toole, L. (2025) 'Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model of human development', in Ikiugu, M. N., Taff, S. D., Kantartzis, S. and Pollard, N. (eds.) Routledge Companion to Occupational Therapy - Theories, Concepts and Models. Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England, UK: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003526766-35en
dc.identifier.doi10.4324/9781003526766-35en
dc.identifier.isbn9781003526766en
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/17541
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherRoutledgeen
dc.relation.ispartofRoutledge Companion to Occupational Therapyen
dc.rights© 2025, the Authors. All rights reserved. This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in Ikiugu, M. N., Taff, S. D., Kantartzis, S. and Pollard, N. (eds.) Routledge Companion to Occupational Therapy - Theories, Concepts and Models on 31 March 2025, available online: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003526766-35en
dc.subjectBioecological model of human developmenten
dc.subjectBronfenbrenneren
dc.subjectOccupational development in childhooden
dc.subject~Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy - Book Chapters~en
dc.titleBronfenbrenner's bioecological model of human developmenten
dc.typeBook chapteren
dc.typebook-chapteren
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Chapter 28 Bronfenbrenner chapter Helen and Leah final GREY.pdf
Size:
371.35 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Accepted Version
Download
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Chapter 28 Bronfenbrenner chapter Helen and Leah final GREY.docx
Size:
302.55 KB
Format:
Microsoft Word XML
Description:
Authors' original accepted version
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
2.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
School of Clinical Therapies