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Rodgers’ Concept Analysis on Cognitive Reframing

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Rodgers’ Concept Analysis on Cognitive Reframing

Concept and associated terms

Cognitive reframing is a concept that is increasingly being consciously incorporated into

nursing practice. It has been referred to as “cognitive restructuring” and described in literature as

“perception change” and “changing conceptual viewpoint” (Robson and Troutman-Jordan, 2014;

Larson et al., 2016). It is a concept that helps patients to deal with negative thought.

Realm for data collection

The realm for this analysis is nursing and psychology peer reviewed journals published

between the years 2014, when Robson and Troutman-Jordan first comprehensively analyzed the

concept, to 2021. The analysis can include articles describing the concept and related concepts

such as “wellness in illness”, and articles reviewing and analyzing cognitive reframing within

modern contexts.

Attributes and contextual basis

The attributes of cognitive reframing within the context of wellness in illness include

independence, normalizing, and empowerment. Independence is a sense of personal control,

normalizing is altering (by nurse recognition and encouragement) or self-altering (by patient

after nurse encouragement) of negative perceptions, and empowerment is converting negative

self-defeating ideas into positive supportive ones (Robson and Troutman-Jordan, 2014). The goal

is to get patients to recognize their beliefs as they are rather than assigning them a positive value

that may be inaccurate.

Concept characteristics

Antecedents of cognitive reframing in the context of “wellness in illness” are; patient’s

current perceptions of illness being wrong, patient’s perceptions being different from nurse’s
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beliefs, patient understanding that their current viewpoint is flawed, the patient willing to adopt

new belief, and new belief being objectively better than current patient’s perceptions (Robson

and Troutman-Jordan, 2014). The consequence is an altered and positive perception of the illness

situation. To realize the targeted perception cognitive reframing helps increase willingness to

consider the thought

Concept exemplar

Cognitive reframing is an abstract link between apparently conflicting concepts in order

to obtain practical benefits from a negative concept or situation such as formulating strategies of

influencing feelings of wellness amidst the experience of illness. Such concept linkages are

consistent with Chinn and Kramer’s view that nurses should be aware and reflect on situations,

promote other people’s awareness, and make broader decisions that improve the situations

whenever possible (2018). It instills positivity from negative perceptions and situations.

Hypothesis and implications for development

Cognitive reframing can be viewed in the context of “wellness in illness” whereby the

role of the nurse is to encourage change of patient’s perceptions or viewpoints towards feelings

of wellness despite being ill. It is based on the premise that converting negative ideas and

situations into positive supportive ones aids in creating a sense of wellness that improves health

outcomes. This is supported by the finding that cognitive reframing improves positive affect

significantly (Larsson et al., 2016). More research is required to broaden contextual

understanding of the concept.

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References

Chinn, P., & Kramer, M. (2018). Knowledge development in nursing: Theory and process (10th

ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier

Larsson, A., Hooper, N., Osborne, L. A., Bennett, P., & McHugh, L. (2016). Using brief

cognitive restructuring and cognitive defusion techniques to cope with negative

thoughts. Behavior Modification, 40(3), 452-482.

Robson Jr, J. P., & Troutman-Jordan, M. (2014). A concept analysis of cognitive

reframing. Journal of Theory Construction & Testing, 18(2).