Deck 7: Understanding Theory and Research Frameworks

Question 1

When reviewing various theoretical frameworks,the nurse researcher identifies several viewpoints about how nurses should engage with terminally ill patients.These viewpoints represent

A) abstract ideas.
B) assumptions.
C) concrete ideas.
D) philosophies.

Answer 1

philosophies.

Question 2

When a researcher analyzes data obtained from study variables for possible significant relationships among these variables,the researcher is testing the

A) abstract ideas.
B) conceptual definitions.
C) relationship statements.
D) study assumptions.

Answer 2

relationship statements.

Question 3

A nurse researcher develops a study to assist patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus to lose weight by altering eating patterns.The researcher states,"Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus desire to control weight to gain better glycemic control." This statement is a(n)

A) assumption.
B) concept.
C) philosophy.
D) theory.

Answer 3

assumption.

Question 4

When a nurse researcher develops a plan for conducting a quantitative study,the theory on which the study is based is described as?

A) The framework
B) The assumption
C) The hypothesis
D) The purpose

Question 5

In a study about childhood obesity,the researcher discusses the concept of overweight in terms of weight for height measures,body mass index (BMI),body image,self-esteem,and social norms.When discussing body image,self-esteem,and social norms,the researcher is describing the

A) conceptual definition.
B) dependent variable.
C) independent variable.
D) operational definition.

Question 6

The nurse researcher plans to evaluate self-care and its effects on disease prevention.The nurse identifies various health promotion activities-such as proper diet,exercise,and hours of sleep per night-as components of self-care.In this example,"hours of sleep" is a

A) concept.
B) construct.
C) theory.
D) variable.

Question 7

Which statement is true about research frameworks?

A) Every qualitative study has an implicit or explicit research framework.
B) Research frameworks for psychological studies are usually derived from physiology,genetics,pathophysiology,and physics.
C) Research frameworks come from grand nursing theories.
D) A research framework is a concrete,logical structure of meaning.

Question 8

The nurse researcher plans to evaluate self-care and its effects on disease prevention.The nurse identifies various health promotion activities-such as proper diet,exercise,and hours of sleep per night-as components of self-care.In this example,"health promotion" is a

A) concept.
B) construct.
C) theory.
D) variable.

Question 9

The nurse researcher plans to evaluate self-care and its effects on disease prevention.The nurse identifies various health promotion activities-such as proper diet,exercise,and hours of sleep per night-as components of self-care.In this example,"self-care" is a

A) concept.
B) construct.
C) theory.
D) variable.

Question 10

The building blocks for theory are

A) empirical testing.
B) concepts.
C) hypotheses.
D) models.

Question 11

A researcher discusses how endorphins released during aerobic exercise cause a heightened sense of well-being in subjects.This discussion is a

A) conceptual definition.
B) operational definition.
C) relational statement.
D) theoretical framework.

Question 12

In a study about childhood obesity,the researcher discusses the concept of overweight in terms of weight for height measures,body mass index (BMI),body image,self-esteem,and social norms.The researcher states that a BMI less than the 95th percentile represents overweight.This statement is a(n)

A) conceptual definition.
B) dependent variable.
C) independent variable.
D) operational definition.

Question 13

A nurse researcher will measure the effects of infant and parent bonding on infant weight gain in the first 6 months of life.The nurse will evaluate the number of times each day that the parent holds the infant.This measure is an example of a(n)

A) abstract idea.
B) concept.
C) concrete idea.
D) phenomenon.

Question 14

Which is true about a conceptual definition in a research study?

A) It defines how a concept can be manipulated in a study.
B) It describes how a concept may be measured in a study.
C) It is comprehensive and includes associative meanings.
D) It is more specific than a dictionary definition.

Question 15

Which statement is true about theory and qualitative studies?

A) Qualitative studies rely on conceptual frameworks and not on theory.
B) Qualitative studies are not based on theory.
C) Qualitative studies may be used to create theory.
D) Qualitative studies use theory in the same way as quantitative studies.

Question 16

Which is true about a study framework?

A) It guides nurses in clinical practice.
B) It explains a portion of a theory.
C) It is one of the major ideas of a theory.
D) It is the underlying methodology used in research.

Question 17

Which is an important characteristic of a variable?

A) It is broad and encompasses several ideas.
B) It is constant from one instance to another.
C) It is less specific than a concept.
D) It is measurable and changeable.

Question 18

The nurse researcher plans to evaluate self-care and its effects on disease prevention.The nurse identifies various health promotion activities-such as proper diet,exercise,and hours of sleep per night-as components of self-care.In this example,"effects of self-care on disease prevention" is a

A) concept.
B) construct.
C) theory.
D) variable.

Question 19

A researcher is studying how anxiety affects coping with chronic disease and theorizes that measures to reduce anxiety will improve subjects' ability to cope with day-to-day demands of self-care.In this example,anxiety and coping are

A) assumptions.
B) concepts.
C) philosophies.
D) theories.

Question 20

Which statement is true about the hypothesis in a research study?

A) It clearly identifies concepts.
B) It is written at a higher level of abstraction than a general proposition.
C) It is not testable.
D) It makes a statement about specific relationships among variables.

Question 21

Which will the researcher use to display the concepts and relationships in a theoretical framework?

A) Construct
B) Graph
C) Model
D) Theory

Question 22

Which of the following are true statements about middle range theories? Select all that apply.

A) They may emerge from a grounded theory study.
B) They are more abstract and wider in scope than grand nursing theories.
C) Practice theories are a type of middle range theories that are more specific.
D) Nurses providing patient care and nurse researchers find them less helpful.
E) They are sometimes called substantive theories.

Question 23

Which statements would the nurse researcher recognize as being true when critically appraising a framework? Select all that apply.

A) Critical appraising a framework requires the identification and evaluation of the concepts,their definitions,and the statements linking the concepts.
B) Study findings should not be linked back to the research framework.
C) Researchers usually link the findings back to the framework and other literature in the results section of the research report.
D) Researchers must judge the adequacy of the linkages of concepts to variables,measurement of research or dependent variables,and implementation of independent variables.
E) The discussion section is where the critical appraisal guidelines are applied to frameworks that were derived from a grand nursing theory.

Question 24

A nurse researcher discusses a theory about the stigma of chronic illness in children and describes aspects of chronic illness including aesthetic qualities,causes of the condition,and concealability of the disease as dimensions of this stigma.In this case,"aesthetic qualities,causes of the condition,and concealability of the disease" are

A) concepts.
B) constructs.
C) theories.
D) variables.

Question 25

Which nursing theorist developed a grand nursing theory?

A) Brennaman
B) Orem
C) Pender
D) Swanson

Question 26

Which nursing theorist developed a middle range theory for nursing?

A) Orem
B) King
C) Mishel
D) Rogers

Question 27

The level of theory often derived from evidence-based guidelines is

A) grand theory.
B) grounded theory.
C) mid-range theory.
D) practice theory.

Question 28

In the introduction to a study,the researcher explains why self-esteem is expected to affect obesity.The explanation of this relationship represents which aspect of the study?

A) Concept
B) Construct
C) Framework
D) Theory

Question 29

The level of theory derived from the analysis of data is

A) grounded theory.
B) grand theory.
C) mid-range theory.
D) practice theory.