Topic
Johnson’s Behavioural System Model
Presented To: Presented By:
Ma’am Daljit Kaur Navneet Kaur
Professor OBG M.Sc. Nsg Student
SPHE College Of Nursing 1st year
Johnson Behaviour System Model
• Dorothy E. Johnson was born
in August 21, 1919 in Savannah
Georgia.
• She did her BSN from
Vanderbilt University in
Nashville in 1942 .
• Masters in Public Health from
Harvard university Boston in
1948.
Introduction
1949 till retirement in 1978-
• Assistant professor of paediatric nursing.
• An associate professor of nursing.
• Professor of nursing at the university of California in Los
Angeles.
• In 1968 Dorothy first proposed her model of nursing care as
fostering of “the efficient and effective behavioural
functioning in the patient to prevent illness”.
• She died in 1999 at the age of 80
Contribution to Nursing
Definition of Nursing acc to
Johnson:
She defined nursing as “an external
regulatory force which acts to preserve the
organization and integration of the patients
behaviours at an optimum level under
those conditions in which the behaviours
constitutes a threat to the physical or social
health or in which illness is found”.
Goals of Nursing acc to BSM
Based on the definition there are four goals of nursing are to
assist the patient:
• Whose behaviour is proportional to social demands.
• Who is able to modify his behaviour in ways that it supports
biological imperatives.
• Who is able to benefit to the fullest extent during illness from
the physician’s knowledge and skill.
• Whose behaviour does not give evidence of unnecessary
trauma as a consequence of illness.
Concepts
1.Behaviour
Output of intra organismic structures and processes as they
are coordinated and articulated by and responsive to changes
in sensory stimulations.
2. System
• That which functions as a whole by virtue of organized
independent interaction of its parts.
• “System is something which functions as a whole”.
3. Behavioural system
• Man is a system that indicates the state of the
system through behaviours.
• Patterned , repetitive and purposeful ways of
behaving.
Conti.....
4. Subsystem
A mini system with its own particular goal and function that
can be maintained as long as its relationship to other system or
the environment is not disturbed
5. Equilibrium
• Stabilized but more or less transitory resting state in which
the individual is in harmony with himself and his environment.
• Not synonymous with a state of health because it may be
found either in health or illness.
Conti...
6. Stressor
• Internal of external stimuli that produce tension and result in a
degree of instability.
• Can be positive or negative.
• Can be endogenous or exogenous in nature
7. Tension
• A state of being stretched or strained.
• End product of a disturbance in equilibrium.
• Can be constructive or destructive.
Conti....
8. Instability
• State in which the system output of energy depletes the energy
needed to maintain stability.
Sub Concepts
Structure Variables Boundaries
Sub Concepts
1. Structure
The parts of the body that make up the whole.
2. Variables
Factors outside the system that influence the system’s
behaviour but which the system lacks power to change.
3.Boundaries
The point that differentiates the interior of the system from
exterior.
Metaparadigm Concepts defined by
Johnson’s Theory
Environme
PersonntHealth
Nursing
Relationships to Metaparadigm
• Nursing: is seen as external force- the goal is to maintain and
restore an individual’s behavioural systems balance through
imposing temporary regulatory or control mechanisms through
resources.
• Person: is a behavioural system with patterned ,repetitive and
purposeful ways of behaving that link to person to the
environment.
• Health: is a lack of balance in the structural or functional
requirements of the subsytems lead to poor health.
• Environment: are all factors that are not part of a person’s
behavioural system but has influence of the behavioural
system.
Five Core Principles
1. • Wholeness and Order
2. • Stabilization
3. • Reorganization
4. • Hierarchic interaction
5. • Dialectical contradiction
Wholeness and Order
• Development analogy of wholeness and order is continuity
and identity.
• Continuity and change can exist across the life span.
• Continuity is in the relationship of the parts rather than in their
individuality.
Stabilization
• Monitor patient response, looking for successful adaptation to
occur.
• Nurses intervene to help patient restore behavioural system
balance.
Reorganization
• Occurs when the behavioural system encounters new
experiences in the environment that cannot be balanced by
existing system mechanisms.
Hierarchic Interaction
• Hierarchies or a pattern of relying on particular subsystems lead
to a degree of stability.
Dialectical Contradiction
• Motivational force for behaviour change.
• Drives/responses developed and modified over time through
maturation, experience and learning.
7 Subsystems of Behavioural System
A
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Model
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1. Affiliative subsystem- social
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bonds
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2. Dependency – helping or
nurturing
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3. Ingestive – food intake
n
4. Eliminative- excretion
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ti
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5. Sexual- procreation and
gratification
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6. Aggressive- self protection
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and preservation
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A
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7. Achievement- efforts to gain
v
e
m
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t
mastery and control
Affiliative or Attachment Subsystem
• Behaviour associated with the development and maintenance
of interpersonal relationships with parent, peers and authority
figures.
• Establish a sense of relatedness and belonging with others
including attachment behaviour, interpersonal relationships
and communication skills.
• Goal attainment.
Dependency Subsystem
• Behaviour associated with obtaining assistance from others in the
environment for completing tasks or emotional support.
• Includes seeking of attention, approval, recognition ,basic self care
skills and emotional security.
Ingestive Subsystem
• Behaviour associated with the intake of needed resources from the
external environments, including food , fluid , information, knowledge
and objects for the purpose of establishing an effective relationship with
the environment.
Eliminative Subsystem
• Behaviour associated with the release of physical waste
products from the body.
• Express feelings.
Sexual Subsystem
Behaviour associated with a specific gender based identity for
the purpose of ensuring pleasure/procreation and knowledge
and behaviour being congruent with biological sex.
Aggressive Subsystem
• Behaviour associated with real or potential threat in
the environment for the purpose of ensuring survival.
• Protection of self through direct or indirect acts.
• Identification of potential threat.
Achievement Subsystem
• Behaviour associated with mastery of oneself
and one’s environment for the purpose of
producing a desired effect.
• Includes problem solving activity.
• Knowledge of personal strengths and
weaknesses.
Restorative Subsystem
Restorative subsystem is not included in
Johnsons behavioural system model as
she believed that sleep is a biological
force and not a motivational behaviour. It
is suggested by faculty and clinicians to
include behaviours such as sleep, play
and restoration.
4 Elements Or Structural Components
Of Each Subsystem
A An
dri A acti
A on
ve ch
se or
/ oic beh
Go
t
e avi
al our
4 Elements Or Structural Components
Of Each Subsystem
1. The drive or goal of the subsystem reflects the
motivation or reasons for the behaviour of the
subsystem.
2. The set comprises the ordinary or normal behaviours
that the patient prefers to use to meet the goal of the
subsystem.
3. The choice represents the options that are available
to the patient to meet his or her subsystem goals.
4. The final component, an action or behaviour act as a
consequence of the previous three structural
components.
Assumptions - System
1.There is organization, interaction, interdependency and
integration of the parts and elements of behaviours that go to
make up the subsystem.
2. A system tends to achieve a balance among the various forces
operating within and upon it and continuously strives to
maintain an equilibrium.
3. A behavioural system which requires and results in some
degree of regularity and consistency in behaviour, is essential
to man as it is functionally significant as an individual and in
social life.
4. System balance reflects adjustments and adaptations that are
successful.
Strengths
• Frame of reference for nurses concerning with specific client
behaviour.
• Can be generalized across the lifespan and across cultures.
• The theory serves as a tool or guide to motivate patient or the
behaviour of man during distress.
Limitations
• The definition of concept is so abstract that they are difficult
to use.
• It is difficult to test Johnson’s model by development of
hypothesis.
• The focus on the behavioural system makes it difficult for
nurse to work with physically impaired individual to use this
theory.
• The model is very individual oriented so the nurses working
with the group have difficulty in its implementation.
• Does not define the expected outcomes when one system is
affected.
• Johnsons’s behavioural system model is not flexible.
NURSING PROCESS DIAGNOSIS PLANNING AND EVALUATION
ASSESSMENT: Diagnosis tends to IMPLEMENTATION Based on the
Grubbs developed an be general to the May be difficult because attainment of a goal
assessment tool based system than of lack of clients input in of balance in the
on Johnson’s seven specific to the to the plan. the plan will identified subsystems.
subsystems plus a problem. Grubb focus on nurses actions If the baseline data
subsystem she labeled has proposed 4 to modify clients are available for an
as restorative which categories of behavior ,to bring about individual, the nurse
focused on activities nursing diagnosis homeostasis based on may have goal for the
of daily living. derived from nursing assessment of individual to return to
Affiliation Johnson's the individuals drive, set the baseline behavior.
Dependency behavioral system behavior. The plan may If the alterations in
Sexuality model: include: the behavior that are
Aggression Insufficiency Protection, planned do occur, the
Elimination Discrepancy Nurturance nurse should be able
Ingestion Incompatibility Stimulation to observe the return
Achievement Dominance to the previous
behavior patterns
References:
• 1. RN AG BSN. Nurseslabs. 2014 [cited 2024 Dec 9]. Dorothy Johnson:
Behavioral System Model (Study Guide). Available from:
https://nurseslabs.com/dorothy-e-johnsons-behavioral-system-model/
• 2. Johnson’s Behaviour System Model [Internet]. [cited 2024 Dec 9].
Available from:
https://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/behavioural_system_model.html
• 3. ResearchGate [Internet]. [cited 2024 Dec 9]. (PDF) “Behavioral
System Model of Nursing,. Available from:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339432791_Behavioral_System_
Model_of_Nursing
• 4. SlideShare [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2024 Dec 9]. The Behavioral System
Model - Dorothy.E.Johnson. Available from:
https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/the-behavioral-system-model-dorot
hyejohnson/237149422
• 5. Shebeer . P. Basheer.A Concise Textbook Of Advanced Nursing
Practice,Third edition. Published by Emmess Medical Publishers.2022 . Pg
no.
• 6 .Cheng Y, Luo Y wei. The Application Progress of Johnson’s Behavior
