DOROTHY JOHNSON’s

BEHAVIORAL SYSTEM MODEL

Presentor: BUENAFE, Drexler Justine A.

Dorothy E. Johnson
1919-1999
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
Class of 1942
Johnson’s Nursing Metaparadigm
Environme
Person Health Nursing
nt
Promotion of
Health is
behavioral system
reflected by
balance and
the
stability; an external
A system of All forces organizatio
regulatory force that
independent parts that affect n,
acts to preserve the
with patterned, the person interaction,
organization and
repetitive, purposeful and interdepen
integration of the
ways of behaving. A influence the dence, and
client's behavior at
behavioral system behavioral integration
optimal level under
composed of 7 system of
those condition,
subsystems. subsystem
which the behavior
of the
constitutes a threat
behavioral
to physical or social
system
health, or which
illness is found
The Theory
BEHAVIORAL SYSTEM MODEL
• In 1968 Dorothy first proposed her model of nursing care
as fostering of “the efficient and effective behavioral
functioning in the patient to prevent illness”
• She also stated that nursing was “concerned with man as
an integral whole and is the specific knowledge of order
we require”
• In 1980 Johnson published her conceptualization
“Behavioral system model for nursing”
Definition of Nursing
“an external regulatory force which acts to
preserve the organization and integration of
the patient’s behavior at an optimal level
under those conditions in which the
behavior constitutes a threat to physical or
social health, or in which illness is found”
• Whose behavior is commensurate with social demands.
• Who is able to modify his behavior in ways that support
biologic imperatives.
• Who is able to benefit to the fullest extent during illness
from the physicians knowledge and skill.
• Whose behavior does not give evidence of unnecessary
trauma as a consequence of illness.
• Goal – the motivation for behavior
• Set – the individual’s predisposition to act in certain ways
to fulfill the function of the subsystem.
• Choice – the individual’s total behavioral repertoire for
fulfilling subsystem functions, which encompasses the
scope of action alternatives from which the person can
choose.
• Behavior – the individual’s physical manifestation
• “Protected from noxious influences with which the
system cannot cope” (Johnson, 1980).
• “Nurtured through the input of appropriate
supplies from the environment” (Johnson, 1980).
• “Stimulated for use to enhance growth and prevent
stagnation” (Johnson, 1980).
• Johnson’s Behavioral System Model is a model of nursing care
that advocates the fostering of efficient and effective behavioral
functioning in the patient to prevent illness. The patient is
identified as behavioral system composed of seven behavioral
subsystem: affiliative, dependency, ingestive, eliminative,
sexual, aggressive and achievement.
• The three functional requirements for each subsystem include
protection from noxious influences, provision for nurturing
environment, and stimulation for growth.