THEORY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS The systematic development of scientific nursing theories has a better chance of advancing nursing and may lead to the basis for advancing nursing.
Theory components and their contributions to the theory Theory components Concepts Contributions Theoretical statements Analysis Definitions Theoretical Operational Description and classification Meaning Measurements Linkages Theoretical Operational Plausibility Testability Ordering of concepts and definitions into primitive and derived terms Ordering of statements and linkages into premises and equations Elimination of overlap (tautology) Elimination of inconsistency
CONCEPT The labeled concept suggests boundaries for selecting phenomena to observe and for reasoning about the phenomena of interest.
THEORETICAL STATEMENT three general categories: (1) existence statements, t t (2) definitions, and (3) relational statements. Existence statements simply assert that a given concept exists and is labeled with the concept name. Relational statements assert relationships between the properties of two or more concepts or variables. In the connections between variables, one variable may be assumed to influence a second variable. In this instance, the first variable may be labeled l an antecedent (or determinant) variable and the second variable a consequent ( or resultant) independent dependent d variable.
DEFINITIONS Although it is not possible to eliminate perceived differences in meaning entirely, offering explicit definitions can minimize these differences. In the development of a complete theory, both theoretical and operational definitions provide meaning for the concept and a basis for seeking empirical indicators. Operational definitions relate the concepts to observable phenomena by specifying empirical indicators.
LINKAGES Although the theoretical statements assert connections between concepts, the rationale for the stated connections must be developed. The development of theoretical ti linkages offers an explanation of why the variables in the theory may be connected in some manner; that is, the theoretical reasons for asserting particular interrelationships. Operational linkages contribute the element of testability to the theory by specifying how variables are connected.
ORDERING The concepts should be ordered if the theory contains more than two variables. Concepts and definitions iti should be ordered d into primitive and derived terms. This process of ordering may identify any existing overlap between concepts and definitions. Premises ( or axioms) are regarded as the more general assertions from which the hypotheses are derived in the form of equations.
FORMS OF THEORY ORGANIZATIONS set-of-laws, focusing on the relationships between a limited set of variables, and concepts must measurable. each statement in the set-of-laws form is considered to be independent and not interrelated. axiomatic, Axiomatic theories are not common in the social and behavioral sciences, but they are clearly evident in the fields of physics and mathematics. It consisting of explicit definitions, a set of concepts, a set of existence statements, and a set of relationship statements without contradictory arranged in hierarchical order. causal process. Specify causal mechanisms between independent and p y p dependent variables.
CAUSAL PROCESS FORM Concepts include abstract and concrete ideas. Existence statements function to describe the scope conditions of the theory; that is, the situations to which the theory applies. a set of statements describing the causal mechanisms or effects of one variable upon one or more other variables. Process form of theory provides for an explanation of the process of how events happen. It provides for highly abstract theoretical concepts and its form permits more efficient research testing ti with its interrelated t theoretical ti statements.
BEGIN WITH THEORY CRITIQUING The use of rigorous criteria for a scientific theory to critique nursing formulations will surely result in nursing theories being found deficient because theory construction in nursing is still in the early stages. Completeness ess of the theory, any missing components or relationships, the theory s internal consistency, the theory s correspondence with available empirical findings, and whether it is operationally defined for testing. The goal is to continue to direct attention and energies to the critical analysis of existing incomplete theories in terms of their potential for further development. Scientific evidence can accumulated to support or refute theoretical assertions or provide the basis for suggesting modifications in a nursing theory only through repeated and rigorous research.
MIXED APPROACH It has been argued that the acceptance of multiple truths and the use of multiple methods in a research project builds several perspectives into the project and permits a richer and more fruitful exploration of the phenomena of interest. Further, multimethods may better ground the project in the context of clinical practice and lead to a more rapid development of the science of nursing.
DEVELOP THEORY FROM PRACTICE. continued development of nursing theories that are relevant to nurses specialty practice, increased collaboration between scientists and practitioners, increased encouragement of nurse researchers efforts to communicate research findings to relevant practitioners, increased effort to set a priority for using middlerange theories to devise linkages for research and practice in nursing, increased emphasis on clinical research, and increased use of nursing theories in clinical decision making.
STRATEGIES FOR THEORY DEVELOPMENT existing strategies
FOUR MAJOR STRATEGIES OF THEORY DEVELOPMENT theory-practice-theory; practice-theory; research-theory; and theory-research-theory A fifth strategy, an integrated approach to theory development, is recommended as an ought-to-be strategy, to be used by itself or in combination with any of the others.
THEORY-PRACTICE-THEORY STRATEGY A theorist using this strategy attempts to explain and describe a clinical situation through the selected theory, discovers the need for modification of concepts, redevelopment of others, and possible reconsideration of other definitions that better reflect the practice situation. There are several common processes in the development of theories through this strategy: Redefinition redefined. The clinical theorist is the person whose goals include the refinement and development of theory. The clinician who uses theory has a goal of application of theory.
PRACTICE-THEORYTHEORY STRATEGY Depend on the experiences of theorists in practice. The phenomenon is significant enough to pursue, as developing knowledge about a phenomenon is a long process. The strategy depends on observations of new phenomena in a practice situation; development of sensitizing concepts; and labeling, describing, and articulating properties of there concepts.
RESEARCH-THEORY-STRATEGY The most a acknowledged and accepted strategy developing theories that are based on research.
THEORY-RESEARCH-THEORY STRATEGY In this strategy, theory drives the research questions and the results that answer these research questions inform and modify the theory. The difference between this strategy and research-theory strategy lies in the use or nonuse of theory as a guiding framework for the research questions.
THEORY-RESEARCH-THEORY STRATEGY VS. THEORY-RESEARCH STRATEGY Theory research theory GOAL Test, refine, develop theory; openness to options for further developments USES A framework for research and for modification of theory; define concepts for future use; generate new propositions; explain, define questions STRATEGIES Mentalprocesses; creative, abstract, reflective thoughts; interpretation; synthesis; intuitive leaps Theory research Test, accept, refute, replicate; aim to conclude A framework for research; define variables and questions; prove/disprove Mentalprocesses; problem solving; interpretation EVALUATION Theoretical thinking; conceptual ldefinitions; iti other theory Variable definitions; iti validity; analyses criteria reliability; other research criteria IMPACT ON DISCIPLINE Through hintegrated theoretical statements that explain li Through hselected scientific ifi findings and predict with scope that explain and predict specifics FUTURE Generates more propositions; inspires Provides support for existing propositions and for clinical actions
AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO THEORY DEVELOPMENT Different perspectives provide different sets of glasses through which phenomena are viewed. There is a pattern and order in the universe around us. Because we live in an orderly, nonrandom world, this order is comprehensible to a certain extent and within a context. Uniqueness and patterning are also significant premise on which this strategy is based.