The Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based model (DIR)

The Developmental، Individual-Difference، Relationship-Based model (DIR) aims to describe and explain human psychological development in an integrated way. It has been believed that cognitive، linguistic، affective، personality abilities emerge within stages of “functional emotional development”. The human development influenced by a dynamic interaction among biopsyosocial variables. As a child goes up the developmental ladder، regulation and attention، engagement، communication، making ideas and bridging among ideas (thinking) as human fundamental capacities would be emerged. These fundamental capacities make self-conscious، language، empathy، creativity، thinking and social and emotional skills possible to develop progressively. In the integrated human development، relationships with humans، especially those with significant people (parents)، are important. Each child encounters with the world according to his own biology. On the other hand، parents have their own style of parenting influenced by their society. Social interactions determine the quality of psychological development. In an appropriate condition، the human fundamental capacities develop well and therefore، relating، communicating and thinking skills emerge. Developmental disorders are being resulted from not developing well the fundamental capacities. This may be due to a neuron system dysfunction or a disturbed parental style. The Developmental، Individual-Difference، Relationship-Based model (DIR) has important implications on areas such as education، children mental health، parenting، speech therapy and occupational therapy.