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Dorothy Johnson Theory

Dorothy Johnson developed a behavioral systems theory consisting of 7 subsystems: attachment, dependency, ingestive, eliminative, sexual, aggressive, and achievement. The theory views the person as a behavioral system striving for equilibrium. When stressors disturb the system, tensions arise. Nursing aims to assist the system back to balance through external manipulation of the environment. The theory can guide nursing assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation focused on balancing behaviors within each subsystem. However, it is nurse-centered with limited input from the client.

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277 views7 pages

Dorothy Johnson Theory

Dorothy Johnson developed a behavioral systems theory consisting of 7 subsystems: attachment, dependency, ingestive, eliminative, sexual, aggressive, and achievement. The theory views the person as a behavioral system striving for equilibrium. When stressors disturb the system, tensions arise. Nursing aims to assist the system back to balance through external manipulation of the environment. The theory can guide nursing assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation focused on balancing behaviors within each subsystem. However, it is nurse-centered with limited input from the client.

Uploaded by

kamaljit kaur
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DOROTHY E.

JOHNSON’S

BACKGROUND OF THE THEORIST


• She was born in 21 August, 1919 in Georgia.
• She done her B.Sc from university in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1942.
• She completed MPH from Harvard university, Boston, in 1948.
• From 1949 - 1978 was an assistant professor in paediatric nursing, associate professor and
professor in university of California in Los Angeles.
• In 1981 , she received Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Award for excellence in nursing.

Major concepts of the theory


• Attachment or Affiliative Sub System- the main function of attachment is to attainment of
security need for survival as well as social involvement.
• Dependency Sub System- it promote helping behaviour for nurturance, approval , attention and
physical assistance .
• Ingestive Sub System- function of appetite I’m with regard to when, how, what and under what
conditions individual eats.
• Eliminative SubSystem- function of elimination with regards to when, how and under what
conditions the individual eliminates.
• Sexual Subsystem- function are procreations and gratification with regards to behaviours
dependent upon the individuals biological sex and gender role identity.
• Aggressive Subsystem- function is protection and preservation of self and society.
• Achievement Subsystem- function is mastery or control of some aspect of self or environment
with regard to intellectual, physical , creative, mechanical, social and care taking skill and as
measured against some standards of excellence.

Other concepts and definitions-


• Equilibrium- it define as a stabilised but more or less transitory, resting state in which the
individual is in harmony with himself and with his environment.
• Tensions- the concept of tension is defined as a state of being stretched or strained and can be
viewed as an end product of a disturbance in equilibrium.
• Stressor- internal or external stimuli that produce tension and result in a degree of instability are
called stressor.
• System- a system is a whole that functions as a whole by virtue of the interdependence of its
parts.
Seven Subsystem of Dorothy Johnson theory
PARADIGM
Person-
She des whole individual as a behavioural system.
Nursing-
It is an art and a science which supplied external assistance both before and during system
balance disturbance and require knowledge of order and control.
Environment-
It consists of all factors that are not part of the individual behavioural system but that influence
that system and some of which can be manipulated by the nurse to achieve the health goal for the
patient.
Health-
Health is an elusive, dynamic state influenced by biologic, psychological and social factors.

DOROTHY E. JOHNSON BEHAVIOURAL SYSTEM MODEL


APPLICATION OF THEORY IN NURSING PROCESS

Assessment-

Grubbs developed an assessment tool based on Johnson’s seven subsystems plus a subsystem she
labeled as restorative which focused on activities of daily living. An assessment based on behavioral
model does not easily permit the nurse to gather detailed information about the biological systems:

- Affiliation
- Dependency
- Sexuality
- Aggression
- Elimination
- Ingestion
- Achievement
- Restorative

Diagnosis

Diagnosis tends to be general to the system than specific to the problem. Grubb has proposed 4
categories of nursing diagnosis derived from Johnson's behavioral system model:
- Insufficiency
- Incompatibility
- Discrepancy
- Dominance

Planning and implementation

Implementation of the nursing care related to the diagnosis may be difficult because of lack of
clients input in to the plan. the plan will focus on nurses actions to modify clients behavior, these
plan than have a goal ,to bring about homeostasis in a subsystem, based on nursing assessment of
the individuals drive, set behaviour, repertoire, and observable behavior. The plan may include
protection, nurturance or stimulation of the identified subsystem

.
Evaluation
Evaluation is based on the attainment of a goal of balance in the identified subsystems. If the
baseline data are available for an individual, the nurse may have goal for the individual to return to
the baseline behavior. If the alterations in the behavior that are planned do occur, the nurse should
be able to observe the return to the previous behavior patterns. Johnson's behavioral model with the
nursing process is a nurse centered activity, with the nurse determining the clients needs and state
behavior appropriate for that need.

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