Deck 7: Understanding Theory and Research Frameworks

Question 1

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.

Answer 1

concepts.

Question 2

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.

Answer 2

It is measurable and changeable.

Question 3

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.

Answer 3

It explains a portion of a theory.

Question 4

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 5

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 6

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 7

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 8

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 9

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 10

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.

Question 11

Which nursing theorist developed a grand nursing theory?

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

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.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 13

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 14

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 15

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.

Question 16

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.

Question 17

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 18

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 > the 95th percentile represents overweight.This statement is a(n):

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

Question 19

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 20

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 21

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 22

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

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