title: Theoretical substruction: a guide for theory testing research.
abstract: This article demonstrates how theoretical substruction with its various levels of abstraction can be used as a guide for theory testing research. The article describes a method for substructing research hypotheses as well as an entire study. Substruction and its benefits, including assuring the internal consistency of model testing, are discussed as applied to a study testing hypotheses derived from proposition two of Orem's self-care deficit theory of nursing. This approach to theory testing is congruent with the coherence theory of truth and promises to contribute to the advancement of nursing epistemology.
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: McQuiston
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016294:Models, Nursing; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research / Q000379:methods*; D009742:Nursing Theory; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012648:Self Care; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D016387:Women's Health