| The purpose of this study was the conceptualization, instrumentation, psychometric evaluation and theory-testing of a new secondary concept, women's self-care. It was the product of conjoining the theoretical frameworks of Self-In-Relation and Orem's Self-Care Deficit Theory of Nursing and the specific concepts of self-in-relation and self-care. Its significance was to provide of care to themselves and to others, where little is currently known.; A descriptive correlation method, embedded in Orem's Self-Care Deficit Theory of nursing, using maximum likelihood estimation within LISREL was utilized. The project took place in two (2) consecutive phases, the first, instrument development on a sample of general women with an N = 683, followed by phase two (2), theory-testing of women's self-care, N = 134.; Facet Theory was used to concept-combine the theories, and construct validity was accomplished through principal components analysis. The instrument, Weber's Women's Self-Care was found to have content and construct validity and reliability of .70. The women's Self-Care concept was found to be significantly associated with relational distress and well-being and influenced by the power components of self-care agency in a mix latent variable model.; The results are discussed in terms of providing speculative knowledge in relation to Orem's (1991) Stage I and Stage II Science. The results provide direction for further research on women's self-care and an alternative method to concept development.; This study was supported by grants from Sigma Theta Tau, Lambda Chapter, NIH supported Self-Care pre-doctoral fellowship, Wayne State University Graduate Scholarship, Wayne State University College of Nursing and the American Nurse Foundation. |
