Mental Health/Psychiatric Theories for Nurses
The following theories are related to psych nursing or mental health:
- Kathryn Barnard: Child Interaction Theory (middle-range theory)
- Ann Wolbert Burgess: Rape-Trauma Syndrome
- Sharon Dingman: The Caring Model
- Virginia Henderson: Principles of Basic Nursing Care (grand theory)
- Imogene King: Goal Attainment (middle-range theory)
- Dr. Katharine Kolcaba: The Comfort Theory (broad-scope middle-range predictive theory)
- Dr. Madeleine Leininger: Transcultural Theory
- Myra Levine: Conservation Model
- Margaret Newman: Theory of Expanding Consciousness (grand theory)
- Josephine Paterson & Loretta Zderad: Humanistic Nursing Theory
- Hildegard Peplau: Interpersonal Relations (middle-range descriptive theory)
- Dr. Rosemarie Rizzo Parse: Theory of Human Becoming (grand theory)
- Dr. Nola Pender’s: Health Promotion Model (grand theory)
- Dr. Pamela Reed: Theory of Self-Transcendence (middle-broad range theory)
- Dr. Gail Stuart: Stress Adaptation Model
- Kristen Swanson: Theory of Caring and Healing (middle range theory)
- Joyce Travelbee: Interpersonal Theory of Nursing
- Jean Watson: Theory of Human Science and Human Caring/Relationship-Based Care (philosophy and a grand view of nursing)
- Janet Younger: Mastery of stress theory; this theory explains the mechanisms through which suffering affects an individual’s sense of community and connectedness with others. –Nurses Info
About Conceptual Models
Conceptual model/framework/paradigms are a set of abstract, general concepts that address the phenomena of central interest to discipline; the propositions that broadly describe those concepts, and the propositions that state abstract are general relations between two or more of the concepts. CM’s identifies:
- The purposes of practice (CM should be able to guide all aspects of clinical practice, all steps of the nursing process)
- General nature of clinical problems to be considered & settings of practice
- Characteristics of participants in nursing practice
- Nursing process and the technologies to be used, including parameters of assessment, labels (dx) of problems, typologies of interventions, criteria for evaluating outcomes
- Nature of contributions of nursing practice to the well-being of nursing participants
Major Conceptual Models
- Dorothy’s Johnson’s Behavioral System Model
- King’s Conceptual Model
- Imogene Levin’s Conservation Model
- Betty Neuman’s System Model
- Dorothea Orem’s Self Care Framework
- Martha Roger’s Science of Unitary Human Beings
- Sister Callista Roy’s Adaptation Model
Functions of a Theory
- To narrow and elaborate on phenomena in a conceptual model
- Provide more structure for the interpretation of behaviors and events
- To guide a framework for practice
- Theories may also be called atomistic, macro, and micro theories
Check out An Introduction to Nursing Theory
Levels of Abstraction
- Conceptual -e.g. Health promotion
- Theoretical -e.g. Safe sex
- Empirical (operational)-e.g. Reports condom use with every sexual encounter
- Modifiable/Nonmodifiable
Grand Theory: broad in scope consisting of concepts and propositions that are less abstract but not as specific as middle range theories i.e. consciousness. Grand theories are derived directly from a conceptual model and can also serve as starting points of Middle Range Theories. Example: Martha Roger’s Science of Unitary Human Beings derived 3 grand theories from her CM; the Science of Unitary Human Beings, Theory of Accelerating Evolution, & Theory of Paranormal Phenomena Middle Range Theories: can also be directly derived from a conceptual model. 3 forms:
- Descriptive: are the most basic mid-range theory i.e. what is pain. A classification of a phenomenon and is generated/tested by means of descriptive research.
- Explanatory: includes at least 2 concepts, the proposition of explaining why and its relation to another concept i.e. why do injuries occur with a restraint protocol. Middle-range theories are tested by means of correlational research.
- Predictive: includes at least 2 concepts, one is usually an intervention and the other concept is about the outcome i.e. how does monitoring activity levels, decrease infection rates in the hospital. Middle-range explanatory research is tested via experimental research.
