untitled

Several other midrange theories have been

developed from within King’s Interacting

Systems framework.

King’s framework to derive a theory of perceptual

awareness. The focus was to develop the concepts

of judgment and action as core concepts in the

personal system. Other concepts in the theory in-

cluded communication, perception, and decision

making.

In relation to the interpersonal system, several

middle-range theories have been developed regard-

ing families. Doornbos (2000) addressed family

health in terms of families with young chronically

mentally ill individuals. Frey (1995) developed a

middle-range theory regarding families, children,

and chronic illness; and Wicks (1995) delineated a

middle-range theory regarding the broader concept

of family health. In relation to social systems,

Sieloff (1995a) developed the Theory of Depart-

mental Power to assist in explaining the power of

groups within organizations. Table 16–5 further

lists middle-range theories developed within King’s

framework (1981).

Instrument Development

Instrument development in nursing is needed in

order to measure relevant nursing concepts.

However, instruments developed for a research

study rarely undergo the rigor of research

undertaken for the purpose of instrument devel-

opment.

However, review of the literature identified

instruments specifically designed within King’s

framework. King (1988a) developed the Health

Goal Attainment instrument, designed to detail the

level of attainment of health goals by individual

clients. The Family Needs Assessment Tool was de-

veloped by Rawlins, Rawlins, and Horner (1990).

Table 16–6 provides a listing of instruments devel-

oped in relation to King’s work.

Clients Across the Life Span

Additional evidence of the scope and usefulness of

King’s framework and theory is its use with clients

across the life span. Several applications have tar-

geted high-risk infants (Frey & Norris, 1997; Norris

& Hoyer, 1993; Syzmanski, 1991). Frey (1993, 1995,

1996) developed and tested relationships among

works, nursing frameworks such as King’s Inter-
acting Systems Framework (1981) can still find ap-
plication and use in the SNLs. And, it is this type of
application that further demonstrates the frame-
work’s utility across time. For example, Coker et al.
(1995) implemented nursing diagnoses within the
context of King’s framework. Table 16–4 provides a
listing of applications of King’s work in relation to
the nursing process and to nursing languages.

DEVELOPMENT OF MIDDLE-RANGE
THEORIES WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK

Development of middle-range theories is a natural
extension of a conceptual framework. Middle-
range theories, clearly developed from within a
conceptual framework, accomplish two goals: (1)
Such theories can be directly applied to nursing sit-
uations, whereas a conceptual framework is usually
too abstract for such direct application; and (2) val-
idation of middle-range theories, clearly developed
within a particular conceptual framework, lends
validation to the conceptual framework itself.
In addition to the midrange Theory of Goal
Attainment (King, 1981), several other midrange
theories have been developed from within King’s
Interacting Systems framework. In terms of the
personal system, Brooks and Thomas (1997) used

248 SECTION III Nursing Theory in Nursing Practice, Education, Research, and Administration

Table 16–4 Development of Middle-

Range Theories within

the Framework

TOPIC AUTHOR(S) YEAR

Departmental power

(revised to group

power)

Families, children,

and chronic illness

Family health

Family health

(families with

young chronic

mentally ill

individuals)

Perceptual awareness

Satisfaction, client

*Indicates thesis or dissertation or research in progress

Sieloff

Frey

Wicks

Doornbos

Brooks and

Thomas

Killeen*

1998*

1996*

1995

1995

1993

1995

1995

1997

1996