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
Theory components Contributions
Concepts Description and classification
Th
Theoretical statements
i l A l i
Analysis
Definitions
Theoretical
Theoretical  Meaning
Operational Measurements

Linkages
Theoretical Plausibility
Operational
p Testabilityy

Ordering of concepts and definitions  Elimination of overlap (tautology)
into primitive and derived terms

Ordering of statements and linkages  Elimination of inconsistency
into premises and equations
CONCEPT

| The labeled concept suggests boundaries for

selecting phenomena to observe and for
reasoning about the phenomena of interest.
interest
THEORETICAL STATEMENT
• three generall categories:
th t i (1) existence
i t statements,
t 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.
variables
• In the connections between variables, one variable
may be assumed to influence a second variable. In
thi iinstance,
this t th
the first
fi t variable
i bl may be
b labeled
l b l d an
antecedent (or determinant) variable and the second
variable a consequent ( or resultant) independent
d
dependent
d t variable.
i bl
DEFINITIONS
• Although it is not possible to eliminate perceived
differences in meaning entirely, offering explicit
definitions can minimize these differences.
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
i between
b concepts, the
h rationale
i l for
f
the stated connections must be developed.
• Th development
The d l t off th
theoretical
ti l li
linkages
k offers
ff an
explanation of why the variables in the theory
may be connected in some manner; that is 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.
• C
Concepts
t and dd
definitions
fi iti should
h ld beb ordered
d d into
i t
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.
q
FORMS OF THEORY ORGANIZATIONS
| set-of-laws,
y focusing on the relationships between a limited set of
variables, and concepts must measurable.
y 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
g of explicit
p definitions,, a set of concepts,
p ,a
set of existence statements, and a set of relationship
statements without contradictory arranged in
hierarchical order.
order
| causal process.
• Specify
p y causal mechanisms between independent
p and
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.
variables
• Process form of theory provides for an
p
explanation of the p
process of how events happen.
pp
• It provides for highly abstract theoretical
concepts and its form permits more efficient
researchh testing
t ti with ith its
it iinterrelated
t l t d theoretical
th ti l
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.
• Co p ete ess oof the
Completeness t e ttheory,
eo y,
• any missing components or relationships,
• the theory’s internal consistency,
• the theory
theory’ss correspondence with available empirical
findings, and whether it is operationally defined for testing.
• The goal is to continue to direct attention and
energies
g to the critical analysis
y of existing
g incomplete
p
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
g repeated
p and rigorous
g 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
p
fruitful exploration of the p
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
l to nurses’’ specialty
i l practice,
i
• increased collaboration between scientists and
practitioners,
titi
• increased encouragement of nurse researchers’
efforts to communicate research findings to relevant
practitioners,
• increased effort to set a priority for using middle-
range theories to devise linkages for research and
practice in nursing,
• increased emphasis on clinical research, and
• increased use of nursing g 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.
others
THEORY-PRACTICE-THEORY STRATEGY
• A theorist usingg this strategy
gy attempts
p to explain
p
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.
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-T
THEORY STRATEGY

| Depend on the experiences of theorists in practice.

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.
theory
| The difference between this strategy and
research-theory
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 Theory‐research
GOAL
Test, refine, develop theory; openness to options for 
p y p p Test, accept, refute, replicate; aim to 
p p
further developments conclude
USES
A framework for research and for modification of theory;  A framework for research; define 
define concepts for future use; generate new propositions;
define concepts for future use; generate new propositions;  variables and questions;
variables and questions; 
explain, define questions prove/disprove
STRATEGIES
Mental processes; creative abstract reflective thoughts;
Mental processes; creative, abstract, reflective thoughts;  Mental processes; problem solving; 
Mental processes; problem solving;
interpretation; synthesis; intuitive leaps interpretation
EVALUATION
Th
Theoretical thinking; conceptual definitions; other theory 
ti l thi ki t l d fi iti th th Variable definitions; validity; 
V i bl d fi iti lidit
analyses criteria reliability; other research criteria
IMPACT ON DISCIPLINE
Through integrated theoretical statements that explain 
h hi d h i l h l i Through selected scientific findings 
h h l d i ifi fi di
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.
• Th
There is
i a pattern
tt and
d order
d ini the
th universe
i
around us. Because we live in an orderly,
nonrandom world,
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.