Five ways of being "theoretical": applications to provider-patient communication research.
OBJECTIVE
Analyzes the term "theoretical" as it applies to the area of provider-patient communication research, in order to understand better at a conceptual level what the term may mean for authors and critics.


METHODS
Based on literature on provider-patient communication.


RESULTS
Offers, and discusses, five definitions of the term "theoretical" as it applies to empirical research and its exposition: (1) grounding, (2) referencing, (3) design and analysis, (4) interpretation, and (5) impact. Each of these definitions embodies a different standard for evaluating the theoretical aspects of research.


CONCLUSIONS
Although it is often said that research on provider-patient communication is not "theoretical" enough, the term is ambiguous and often applied vaguely. A multidimensional analysis reveals that there are several distinct ways in which empirical research can be strong or weak theoretically.


CONCLUSIONS
Researchers, educators, editors, and reviewers could use the "Five Ways" framework to appraise the theory-relevant strengths and weaknesses of empirical research and its exposition.
Hall
Judith A
JA
Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, 125 NI, Boston, MA 02115, United States. jhall@neu.edu
Schmid Mast
Marianne
M
D003142:Communication; D003625:Data Collection; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D035081:Editorial Policies; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012106:Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012107:Research Design