Module Components

• Overview
• Assignment

NDNP 804 - Theory for Evidence-Based Practice

Module 9: Theory Analysis: Level of Abstraction, Conceptual Clarity. Congruence and Utility

Overview

We compare theories and analyze them for level of abstraction, conceptual clarity, congruence and utility.

Level of abstraction refers to the extent by which concepts are represented, ranging from abstract to concrete. Abstract concepts are not limited by time and space, so cannot be directly measured, whereas concrete concepts are directly measurable.

Conceptual clarity refers to explicit description of concepts and the identification of relational statements (propositions), which show association or causality among concepts.

Logical congruence refers to the internal consistency of the content and context. There is also semantic consistency in the use of terms for concepts, and the propositions reflect structural consistency without contradictions among them.

Clinical utility refers to the applicability and relevance of the model to the real world of nursing practice. It is a theory that is important to clinicians because it helps them understand the situation at hand and guides their practice.

Before using a theory to inform research or practice, it is important to evaluate the theory’s utility and adequacy, or worthiness, using a standardized set of criteria. This module presents three well-respected sets of criteria for theory evaluation:

Chinn and Kramer (2015) propose that theories should be evaluated using theory description and critical reflection. There are six elements in theory description: purpose, content, definitions, relationships, structure and assumptions. Critical reflection examines how well a theory meets its purpose, and analyzes clarity, consistency, complexity, generality, accessibility and importance.

Fawcett (2005) has identified other criteria that are important in evaluating a theory: significance, internal consistency, parsimony, testability, empirical adequacy, and pragmatic adequacy.

Parse’s (2005) has included two major areas of critical appraisal:  structure and process.  Structure criteria refer to the historical evolution, foundational elements, and relational statements. Process criteria include correspondence, coherence, and pragmatics. Before using a theory to inform research or practice, it is important to evaluate the theory’s utility and adequacy, or worthiness, using a standardized set of criteria.

Objectives

At the conclusion of this module, the learner will be able to:

• Compare the level of abstraction, conceptual clarity, congruence and utility of the theories chosen for the learner's scholarly project

Required Readings

• Walker, L.A. & Avant, K.C. (2019). Strategies for Theory Construction in Nursing. 6th Edition. Boston: Pearson, Prentice Hall. Ch13
• Butts, J.B. & Rich, K.L. (2022) Philosophies and Theories for Advanced Nursing Practice. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Chapter 5