Concept Synthesis BY Shadia Abd Elkader

Definition and Description Concept Synthesis is based observation or empirical evidence. Data may come from: Direct observation Quantitative evidence Literature Combination of the three

Concepts are ordered information about the attributes of one or more things that enable us to differentiate among them. It is a way of grouping or ordering information about some events or phenomena. All of us form a new concepts or categories as our experiences broaden and increase

Concepts are not always follow a logical categories at first but they become so as the child learns to associate things that are similar in some way. As the child experience increases, he or she begins to compare information with the already learned concepts or categories of things.

If the new information fits one of the previously existing concepts, it is easily assimilated. If the new information does not fit any previously existing concepts then the child must develop a strategy for dealing with the new information. He or she has one of three choices: (1) Misname the information by putting it in an old category. (2) Deny the new information (3) Or develop a new concept

ways to synthesize concepts discovering a new dimensions of old concepts examining sets of related concepts for similarities or differences observing new phenomena that have not prescribed previously

Purpose and Uses Concepts synthesis is used to generate new ideas. It provides a method of examining data for new insights that can add to theoretical development. New concepts enrich our vocabulary and point to new areas of study.

Advantages of Concept synthesis (1) In areas where there is little or no concept development (2) In areas where concept development is present but has had no real impact on theory or practice (3) In areas where observations of phenomena are available but not yet classified or named.

APPROACHES TO CONCEPT SYNTHESIS Qualitative, quantitative, and literary approaches may be used either alone or together to do concept synthesis.

Qualitative Synthesis Qualitative synthesis requires using sensory data such as that gained from listening or observing to obtain information. It speaks to properties of things without assigning numerical value to the amount of the property present.

Example In a study of families who had lost a family member, yielded five categories: self-care routines, member care giving, medical consultation, habitual high-risk behaviors, and mental health behaviors. Six new concepts were synthesized: categories: self-care routines, safety and prevention, mental health family care, preventive care and illness care.

Quantitative synthesis Statistical may be employed to extract clusters of attributes comprising a new concepts as well as depicting those attributes that do not belong to the concept.

Measures such as Q sorts and factor analysis are especially helpful in generating meaningful clusters. Several indices of psychological symptoms and personality were revealed using axis factor analysis to synthesize four concepts related to identity confusion: intimacy, negative identity, diffusion of time perspective, and diffusion of industry.

Literary Synthesis The careful examination of literature is required in literary synthesis in order to acquire new insights about phenomena of interest. This examination may yield previously unrecognized concepts for study. literary synthesis is the idea that literature itselfbecomes a data base.

Example Colling's (2000) study of passive behavior in people with Alzheimer's disease is an example of Literary Synthesis. Fifteen studies yielded a total of 82 behaviors. The 82 behaviors were then clustered into six initial groupings: diminution of cognition, diminution of psychomotor activity, diminution of feeling emotions, diminution of responding to emotions, diminution of interactions with people, and diminution of interactions with the environment.

Mixed methods Any of the three approaches to concept synthesis may be used alone or together.

Burke, Kaufmann, Costello, and Dillon (1991) provided an excellent example of concept synthesis using data from several sources. In their study of the stress of parenting a chronically ill child with repeated hospitalizations, they formed two new concepts; The first was "hazardous secrets," which reflects the parents' perceptions of the parent-health care worker interaction.

The second concept reflected the process by which the parents managed the stress and was named "reluctantly taking charge'" and encompassed vigilance, negotiating rules, calling a halt, and persistent information seeking.

Procedures for concept synthesis Familiar with an area of interest ( theoretical saturation) Review of literature Classify data into clusters examine [he clusters for any hierarchical structure Name the concept

Verify the concepts empirically Determine where the new concept fits the existing theory.

Theoretical saturation Be familiar with an area of interest by using many resources, including review and case studies. All provide potential resources of usable data.

Classify data into clusters During the time you are becoming theoretically saturated begin to classify the data you acquire. While you are classifying the data look for clusters of phenomena that seem to relate to each other or overlap considerably and combinethem.

When you are satisfied with clusters When you are satisfied with clusters. Examine the clusters for any hierarchical structure. If there are clusters that appear very similar but one is of a broader nature than the other, it may be helpful to reduce the. two clusters into one higher order, concept. When the new concept has been reduced as much as possible, a name should be chosen for it that accurately describes it and that facilitate communication about it.

Once the concept is named the next step is to verify the new concept empirically and modify it as necessary. Verification involves a return to literature, field studies, data collection, and colleagues to discover if the concept is empirically supported. This process continues until the theorist is satisfied that no new information is being received.

Finally, determine, if possible, where the concept fits into existing theory in the area.

ADVANTAGES Concept synthesis provides a mechanism for creating something new from data. Naming of nursing phenomena and nursing activities makes concept synthesis especially pertinent. The process of concept synthesis is especially useful as a means of generating and naming potential nursing diagnoses. interventions, and outcomes.

LIMITATIONS Concept synthesis does take time and requires the theorist to be open to risk taking. The theorist must begin with raw data and attempt to conceive a new idea from it. Sometimes this happens quickly. More often, it happens only after considerable time and thought.

Verifying concepts also takes rime Verifying concepts also takes rime. This is when she theorist feels most uncomfortable. What if the new concept cant be verified? The fear of being wrong is powerful, especially when the theorist may view the new concept as a "brain -child“ and is very attached to it.

Finally concepts in themselves are only useful to describe a phenomenon, They do not provide for explanation, prediction, or prescription or control

UTILIZING THE RESULTS OF CONCEPT SYNTHESIS Concept synthesis is useful when there is a need to explain something by classifying it, or when we need wholly new concepts or new uses for old ones. But what do you do with a new concept once you've synthesized it?

The first of these is to verify, support. and validate the new concept. Once the concept has attained an adequate degree of support, a good theoretical definition containing the defining attributes should be written.

Knowledge development in the nursing dlscrpline requires valid new concepts. New concepts are useful in both our science and in our practice. In education, the new concept could be used to describe nursing phenomena to students in a meaningful way or to classify patient needs or nursing actions. In practice the new concept may give clinicians fresh insights into patient problems, new nursing diagnosis.