Introducing the Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) Model: A Systems Lens on Mental Health in Sport and Dance

Purpose: This symposium responds to the conference themes by exploring how the PPCT model can guide research that maps the value and direction of our field. We aim to inspire a more holistic and contextually grounded understanding of mental health in sport and dance, offering a hopeful and practical pathway for future inquiry.

Background: Recent consensus statements in sport and exercise psychology have advocated for systems-based approaches to understanding athlete mental health, emphasising the dynamic interplay between individuals and their environments. One such approach is Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory, later refined into the Process–Person–Context–Time (PPCT) model. While the model offers a comprehensive framework for understanding human development, its application in performance psychology remains underutilised, particularly in relation to mental health.

Methods: The symposium will begin with an accessible introduction to the PPCT model, followed by three empirical presentations drawing on diverse contexts: (1) dance in higher education, (2) sub-elite sport, and (3) elite Paralympic sport. Each presentation will demonstrate how elements of the model can inform research design and interpretation within these settings. A final presentation will synthesise key insights and offer a call to action for researchers and practitioners to more fully integrate the PPCT model into their work.

Conclusions: This symposium will be of interest to those seeking to support athlete and dancer mental health through ecological, developmentally informed, and context-sensitive approaches. It aims to promote critical engagement with systems thinking, encouraging methodological innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.