Theories of Youth Development

Youth development can be approached from many perspectives. In this section, you will be introduced to key theories of children’s development into adolesence. In particular, we focus on:

Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory	Cognitive development progresses through four distinct stages; people construct knowledge and meaning from their experiences
Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory	Emphasizes the role of social interactions with parents, caregivers, and peers in development
Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model of Development	Examines the many socio-cultural contexts in which growth and development occur

You can draw on these theoretical perspectives to guide the design of your youth-centered programming and services.

Which Theory is Right?

There is no single theory that accounts for every aspect of youth learning and development. The theories described in the following sections have different strengths and weaknesses, and they can complement or build on each other. Each theory can teach us something different about supporting youth development through library programming.

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