Bored of the rings: Methodological and analytic approaches to operationalizing Bronfenbrenner's PPCT model in research practice
Open accessAbstract
Bronfenbrenner's ecological (and later bioecological) theory has been a mainstay in the theoretical wheelhouse of developmental and family sciences since its inception in the 1970s. However, few studies accurately operationalize Bronfenbrenner's process‐person‐context‐time (PPCT) research model. The aim of this paper is to provide a practical guide to the design, implementation, and analysis of PPCT research studies. Using recent qualitative and quantitative publications from developmental and family science journals, we illustrate how his theory can be operationalized simply and effectively in 21st‐century research. The eight studies, three qualitative and five quantitative, feature participants from Chile, China, South Africa, Turkey, and the United States.
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The PPCT model incorporates all four components and provides a valuable framework for analyzing the complexity of young people's educational experiences, including school attendance problems.
“The PPCT model incorporates all four components and provides a valuable framework for analyzing the complexity of young people's educational experiences, including SAPs”
From “So That You Can Feel Well”: Perspectives of Students with Social, Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties on Factors that Support School Attendance (2025) · cites this paper as Navarro et al., 2022
The PPCT Model section says its four components function interdependently, and the Context and Proximal processes sections apply the model to preschool settings and children's academic outcomes. Those passages support its relevance to young people's educational experiences, but our copy does not address school attendance problems specifically (searched: school attendance problems, absenteeism, attendance). (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredBronfenbrenner's bioecological theory can be utilized to guide research by explaining both the development of school attendance problems and social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties.
“Hence, Bronfenbrenner's bioecological theory can be utilized to guide this research by explaining both the development of SAPs and SEBD”
From “So That You Can Feel Well”: Perspectives of Students with Social, Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties on Factors that Support School Attendance (2025) · cites this paper as Navarro et al., 2022
The Conclusion (page not available) says bioecological theory and the PPCT model offer a framework for research into human development. The Proximal processes section discusses child externalizing behaviors and academic outcomes, but our copy does not address school attendance problems or explain the development of both specified difficulties. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
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Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
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Cites
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Rosa, E. M., & Tudge, J. (2013) · Journal of Family Theory & Review · doi:10.1111/jftr.12022 · Cited by 775 · see citing works
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Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 21
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Cited by
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Meinck, F., Lu, M., Suresh, D., Cetin, M., Neelakantan, L., Hemady, C., Franchino-Olsen, H., Woollett, N., Melendez-Torres, G., Gonzalez, A., et al. (2026) · Trauma, Violence, & Abuse · doi:10.1177/15248380251361468 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“This is in line with socio-ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), later updated to person-process-context-time (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2007; Navarro et al., 2022), which has some overlap with the theory around criminogenic environments (Farrington, 2011).”
Enderle, C. (2025) · School Mental Health · doi:10.1007/s12310-025-09764-z · Cited by 12 · see citing works
“The principle of time accounts for both developmental changes within the person and proximal processes (e.g., school transitions, critical life events, (dis)continuity of relationships) and historical events that influence external systems (Navarro et al., 2022).”
Influential
- Authors
- Navarro, J. L., Stephens, C., Rodrigues, B. C., Walker, I. A., Cook, O., O'Toole, L., Hayes, N., & Tudge, J. R. H.
- Affiliations
- Elon University (US)
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro (US)
- Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education Maynooth University Kildare Ireland
- School of Education Trinity College Dublin Dublin Ireland
- Corresponding author
- Navarro, Jessica L.
- Venue
- Journal of Family Theory & Review
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2022-06
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 233-253
- ISSN
- 1756-2570 (ISSN-L)
- 1756-2589
- OpenAlex
- W4282834413
- Cited by
- 62
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 1
- FWCI
- 19.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Family Theory & Review (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Maynooth University ePrints and eTheses Archive (Maynooth University) (acceptedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Social Sciences › Education › Qualitative Research Methods and Applications
- Keywords
- Bronfenbrenner, Process-Person-Context-Time model, bioecological model, ecological systems theory, operationalization, research design, family development, developmental science, research methodology
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