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Characteristics of quantitative nursing research from 1990 to 2010
Adela Yarcheski1, Noreen E Mahon
1Upsilon Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau Professor College of Nursing Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Newark, New Jersey, 07102.
Summary
Quantitative nursing research is increasingly multidisciplinary, with more authors holding doctoral degrees and international collaborations. However, the use of nursing-specific theories remains limited, with psychology theories being more common.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Research
- Health Sciences
- Scientific Publishing
Background:
- The evolution of quantitative research in nursing is crucial for advancing the scientific knowledge base.
- Understanding trends in authorship, team composition, and theoretical underpinnings informs nursing practice.
- Assessing the disciplinary focus of theories tested provides insight into the theoretical grounding of nursing research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the qualifications of authors conducting quantitative nursing research.
- To analyze the composition of research teams in quantitative nursing studies.
- To determine the disciplinary origins of theories utilized in quantitative nursing research.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study design was employed.
- Three prominent nursing journals were analyzed: Nursing Research, Western Journal of Nursing Research, and Journal of Advanced Nursing.
- Quantitative research articles published in 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010 were included, totaling 484 articles.
Main Results:
- Between 1990 and 2010, there was a notable increase in first authors with doctoral degrees, international research contributions, and secured funding.
- Solo authorship declined, while multi-authorship and the formation of multidisciplinary research teams increased.
- Psychology was the predominant source of theories tested, with the application of nursing theories being relatively modest. Multidisciplinary research significantly surpassed interdisciplinary research.
Conclusions:
- Quantitative nursing research is predominantly multidisciplinary, integrating theories from various disciplines rather than focusing solely on nursing-specific theories.
- Interdisciplinary research, which synthesizes theories from different fields, has been minimally represented in the analyzed literature.
- The findings highlight the growing scientific foundation of nursing research and its practical implications for the field.
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