OPERATIONALIZATION OF A NURSING MODEL FOR PSYCHIATRIC NURSING RESEARCH

Theoretical substruction provides a framework for deriving and operati onalizing study variables related to abstract constructs identified in nursing theories. Moreover, substruction demonstrates the suitability of nursing models for empirical investigation and clinical applicatio n. In this paper, theoretical substruction is used to illustrate the s ignificance of Schlotfeldt's health-seeking model for nursing research and practice. From Schlotfeldt's model, study variables are derived a nd the theoretical-empirical consistency of an exemplary research desi gn examining hypothesized relationships among study variables is descr ibed. The research design, grounded in explicit nursing theory, illust rates the investigation of phenomena of concern to the nursing discipl ine and promises results that will contribute to nursing knowledge dev elopment.