Mary Molewyk Doornbos PhD, RN has published a chapter in the manuscript entitled Middle Range Theory Development – Using King’s Conceptual System (Springer, 2007).
The book is a collection of works drawn from American, Canadian, British, and Japanese authors which showcases middle range theories derived from the conceptual system of Imogene King and intended to direct practice with such diverse client populations as stroke survivors, menopausal women, persons struggling with COPD, and women with cancer.
Doornbos’ chapter is entitled “King’s Conceptual System and Family Health Theory in the Families of Adults with Persistent Mental Illnesses – An Evolving Conceptualization”. In it, she traces the development of the middle range theory of family health over the past decade. The current conceptualization of the middle range theory suggests that family perception of client’s symptomatology, time since diagnosis of mental illness, family coping, family stressors, and professional communication all contribute to the outcome of family health in the families of persons with persistent mental illnesses.
