Prospectus: Framework

The Prospectus Guidebook states that the framework section should be:

In one paragraph, describe the theoretical base or conceptual framework in the scholarly literature that will ground the study. Base this description on the problem, purpose, and background of your study. This theory or framework informs, and is informed by, the research question(s) and helps to identify research design decisions, such as the method of inquiry and data collection and analysis 

In reality, you will need more than this. Describe the theory(s) that you will be using in your study. Then take it to the next step and lay out what the theory predicts will happen in your study. If you find that you can’t come up with predictions – it may not be an appropriate theory. To do this, think through each step of your study and how it relates to your theory. It may make it clearer to give you an example from a recent article I wrote with some colleagues (Stadtlander et al., 2013): 

The patient-by-treatment-context interactive model of Christensen and Johnson (2002) provides the framework for the study. The model proposes that the relationship between patient characteristics and patient adherence is moderated by the treatment context.  The model has been successfully applied to specific illnesses; for example, renal insufficiency and hemodialysis (Christensen, Moran, & Ehlers, 1999) and cardiac rehabilitation (Christensen et al., 1999).  It does not appear to have been previously applied in the present context of ongoing preventative care in older adults.  The patient (LOC, resilience, self-efficacy, beliefs, and behavior) and treatment (primary health provider [PHP] characteristics, health behaviors) variables in the current study were derived from the literature and are consistent with this model.

From the perspective of the patient-by-treatment-context interactive model of Christensen and Johnson (2002), adherence (preventative care) is expected to be best when the patient's characteristics (personality and beliefs) are consistent with the treatment context (PHP characteristics and behavior; Christensen, 2004). Thus, in the current study, there should be consistent preventative care (adherence) when the patient has higher internal LOC (being proactive in health), higher resilience (inner strength and optimism, health-promoting behaviors) and higher self-efficacy (more likely to seek information and self-confidence) and to indicate that they like or feel comfortable with their PHP (treatment).  In addition, it would be expected that there would be less preventative care (lack of adherence) when the patient has lower internal LOC (i.e., external; not proactive in health), higher powerful others and chance scores (increased trust in PHP). Other expectations include lower resilience (higher level of subjective complaints, fewer health-promoting activities), and lower self-efficacy (less likely to apply health interventions [preventative care] and less self-confidence) and to indicate that they do not like or feel comfortable with their PHP (treatment).  

Next time we will celebrate the Dissertation Mentor blog's first birthday! Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu

Christensen, A. J. & Johnson, J. A. (2002). Patient adherence with medical treatment regimens: An interactive approach. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11(3), 94-97.

Christensen, A. J., Moran, P. J. & Ehlers, S. E. (1999). Prediction of future dialysis regimen adherence: A longitudinal test of the patient by treatment interactive model. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. San Diego.

Christensen, A. J., Edwards, D. L., Moran, P. J., Burke, R., Lounsbury, P., & Gordon, E. I. (1999). Cognitive distortion and functional impairment in patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation.  Cognitive Therapy and Research, 23(2), 159-168.

Stadtlander, L., Giles, M., Sickel, A., Brooks, E., Brown, C., Cormell, M., Ewing, L., Hart, D., Koons, D., Olson, C., Parker, P., Semenova, V., & Stoneking, S. (2013). Independent Living Oldest-Old and Their Primary Health Provider: A Mixed Method Examination of the Influence of Patient Personality Characteristics. Journal of Applied Gerontology. Advanced online publication. doi:  10.1177/0733464813482182