Authors – Eun-Ok Im, PhD, MPH, RN, CNS, FAAN and Afaf Meleis, RN; PhD; DrPS(hon); FAAN; LL
Typology first developed – 1999
Major Concepts
PHILOSOPHICAL ROOTS OF SITUATION-SPECIFIC THEORIES
- Postempiricism
- Critical social theory and feminism
- Hermeneutics
PROPERTIES OF SITUATION-SPECIFIC THEORIES
- Low level of abstraction
- Specificity of nursing phenomenon
- Context
- Connection to research and practice
- Respecting diversities and limiting
generalization
AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SITUATION-SPECIFIC THEORIES
- Nursing perspective
- Links among theory, research, and practice
- A conceptual scheme based on internal and external dialogues and practice
Development of Situation-specific Theories
Im and Meleis (1999) discussed the need for further development of theoretical bases in nursing that could incorporate diversities and complexities in nursing phenomena, and that could consider sociopolitical, cultural, and historic contexts of nursing encounters. Considering the limitations of conceptual models, grand theories, and middle range theories, they proposed that situation-specific theories be a future direction of theoretical work in nursing. Im and Meleis discussed philosophical roots and properties of situation-specific theories and explained an integrative approach to developing this type of theory. They proposed that post-empiricism, critical social theory, feminism, and hermeneutics could serve as the philosophical bases of situation-specific theories. They also proposed that the properties of situation-specific theories encompass six characteristics: (1) low level of abstraction, (2) reflection of specific nursing phenomena, (3) context, (4) connection to research and/or practice, (5) incorporation of diversities, and (6) limits in generalization. Finally, they proposed an integrative approach that includes three components-–(1) a nursing perspective; (2) a linkage among theory, research, and practice; and (3) a conceptual scheme based on internal and external dialogues.
Primary Source:
Im, E. O., & Meleis, A. I. (1999). Situation-specific theories: Philosophical roots, properties, and approach. Advances in Nursing Science, 22(2), 11-24.
See also:
Im, E. O., & Meleis, A. I. (1999). A situation specific theory of Korean immigrant women’s menopausal transition. Image: Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 31(4), 333-338.
Im, E. O. (2005). Development of situation-specific theories: An integrative approach. Advances in Nursing Science, 28, 137-151.
Im, E. O. (2006). A situation-specific theory of Caucasian cancer patients’ pain experience. Advances in Nursing Science, 29, 232-244.
Im, E. O. (2008). The situation specific theory of pain experience for Asian-American cancer patients. Advances in Nursing Science, 31, 319-331.
Im, E. O. (2010). A situation-specific theory of Asian immigrant women’s menopausal symptom experience in the United States. Advances in Nursing Science, 33, 143-157.
Im, E. O., Stuifbergen, A. K., & Walker, L. (2010). A situation specific theory of midlife women’s attitudes toward physical activity (MAPA). Nursing Outlook, 58, 52-58.
Im, E. O. (2014). Situation specific theories from the middle range transitions theory.: Advances in Nursing Science, 37, 19-31.
Im, E. O. (2014). The status quo of situation-specific theories. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice, 28, 278-298.
Im, E. O. (2016). For future development of situation specific theories. Kango-Kenkyu: Japanese Journal of Nursing Research, 49, 122-134.
Situation-specific theories derived from the Transitions Framework/Transitions Theory
Theory of well-being of refugee women during cultural transition
Baird, M. B. (2012). Well-being in refugee women experiencing cultural transition. Advances in Nursing Science, 35,:249–263.
Theory of transition to adult day health services
Bull, M. J., & McShane, R. E. (2008). Seeking what’s best during the transition to adult day health services. Qualitative Health Research, 18, 597–605.
Theory of women farmworker migration transition
Clingerman E. A. (2007). Situation-specific theory of migration transition for migrant farmworker women. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice. 21, 220–235.
Theory of hope during transition for people with heart failure
Davidson, P. M., Dracup, K., Phillips, J., Padilla, G., & Daly, J. (2007). Maintaining hope in transition: A theoretical framework to guide interventions for people with heart failure. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 22(1), 58–64.
Theory of care transitions
Geary, C. R., & Schumacher, K. L. (2012). Care transitions: integrating transition theory and complexity science concepts. Advances in Nursing Science, 35, 236–248.
Theory of Korean immigrant women’s menopausal symptoms
Im, E. O., & Meleis, A. I. (1999). A situation specific theory of Korean immigrant women’s menopausal transition. Image: Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 31, 333-338.
Theory of Asian-Americans’ cancer pain experience
Im, E. O. (2008). The situation specific theory of pain experience for Asian-American cancer patients. Advances in Nursing Science, 31, 319-331.
Theory of Caucasians’ cancer pain experience
Im, E. O. (2006). A situation-specific theory of Caucasian cancer patients’ pain experience. Advances in Nursing Science, 2, 232-244.
Theory of Asian immigrant women’s menopausal symptoms
Im, E. O. (2010). A situation-specific theory of Asian immigrant women’s menopausal symptom experience in the United States. Advances in Nursing Science, 33, 143-157.
Additional situation-specific theories
Artinian, N. T., Magnan, M., Sloan, M., & Lange, M. P. (2002). Self-care behaviors among patients with heart failure. Heart & Lung, 31(3), 161–172.
Baird, M. B. (2012). Well-being in refugee women experiencing cultural transition. ANS. Advances in Nursing Science, 35(3), 249–263. doi:10.1097/ANS.0b013e31826260c0
Bennett, S. J., Sauvé, M. J., & Shaw, R. M. (2005). A Conceptual Model of Cognitive Deficits in Chronic Heart Failure. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 37(3), 222–228. doi:10.1111/j.1547-5069.2005.00039.x
Brennaman, L. (2012). Crisis emergencies for individuals with severe, persistent mental illnesses: a situation-specific theory. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 26(4), 251–260. doi:10.1016/j.apnu.2011.11.001
Bull, M. J., & McShane, R. E. (2008). Seeking what’s best during the transition to adult day health services. Qualitative Health Research, 18(5), 597–605. doi:10.1177/1049732308315174
Clingerman, E. (2007). A situation-specific theory of migration transition for migrant farmworker women. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice, 21(4), 220–235.
Davidson, P. M., Dracup, K., Phillips, J., Padilla, G., & Daly, J. (2007). Maintaining hope in transition: a theoretical framework to guide interventions for people with heart failure. The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 22(1), 58–64.
DeVandry, S. N., & Cooper, J. (2009). Mandating nurse staffing in Pennsylvania: more than a numbers game. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 39(11), 470–478. doi:10.1097/NNA.0b013e3181bd5fe9
Lee, S. M. (2018). Lee Geropalliative Caring Model: A Situation-Specific Theory for Older Adults. ANS. Advances in nursing science, 41(2), 161–173. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/ANS.0000000000000195
Nelson, A. M. (2006). Toward a situation-specific theory of breastfeeding. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice, 20(1), 9–27.
Ohlén, J., Andershed, B., Berg, C., Frid, I., Palm, C.-A., Ternestedt, B.-M., & Segesten, K. (2007). Relatives in end-of-life care–part 2: a theory for enabling safety. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 16(2), 382–390. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2702.2006.01474.x
Polivka, B. J., Chaudry, R., Crawford, J. M., Wilson, R., & Galos, D. (2013). Application and modification of the integrative model for environmental health. Public Health Nursing, 30(2), 167–176. doi:10.1111/j.1525-1446.2012.01050.x
Riegel, B., & Dickson, V. V. (2008). A situation-specific theory of heart failure self-care. The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 23(3), 190–196. doi:10.1097/01.JCN.0000305091.35259.85
Suh, E. E. (2008). The sociocultural context of breast cancer screening among Korean immigrant women. Cancer Nursing, 31(4), E1–10. doi:10.1097/01.NCC.0000305742.56829.fc
Authors
Eun-Ok Im
- Professor & Mary T. Champagne Professor, School of Nursing, Duke
- Associate Dean for Research Development and Regulatory Affairs, School of Nursing, Duke University.
- President-elect, The Asian American Pacific Islander Nurses Association.
- Senior Editor, Journal of Transcultural Nursing.
- Teaches PhD theory and philosophy classes.
- Proposed situation specific theories with Dr. Afaf I. Meleis.
- Wrote several articles and book chapters on Transitions Theory.
- Wrote several meta-theoretical papers related to situation specific theories, middle range theories, theory evaluation, and current trends in nursing theories.
- Wrote several papers on feminist thoughts and feminist research in nursing.
- A seasoned researcher who has been funded by the NIH for the past two decades.
Afaf Ibrahim Meleis (1942 – )
Education
PhD in medical and social psychology, University of California, Los Angeles 1968) 
MA in sociology, University of California, Los Angeles (1966)
MS in nursing, University of California, Los Angeles (1964)
BS in nursing, University of Alexandria, Egypt (1961)
Experience
Dr. Meleis has held faculty positions at the University of California, Los Angeles (1966-1971), the University of California, San Francisco (1971-2002), and the University of Pennsylvania (2002-present). She served as Dean, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, from 2002 to 2014.
(from Im, E-O. (2010). Transition theory. In M. R. Alligood & A. M. Tomey (Eds.), Nursing theorists and their work (7th ed., pp. 416-433). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier.)