Borderline Case Model

When analyzing concepts, determining the essential characteristics that make up a concept is a fundamental step. By establishing defining characteristics associated with a concept, one may have a greater understanding of it. If one fails to identify the proper attributes of a concept, than the results of the analysis may limit the ability to expand nursing theories (Walker, & Avant, 2011, p. 162). Distinguishing between types of cases will allow one to categorize concepts and understand how they are in relation to one another, resulting in clearer theory outcomes. The model case is the “pure concept of the case” and possesses all the defining attributes that are found within the concept (Walker, & Avant, 2011, p. 163). If the concept being examined were …show more content…
164). Borderline cases help to clarify one’s perspective of defining attributes of the concept. A borderline example of attachment would be child abuse that possesses almost all the defining attributes but the interactions have a negative effect. Related cases are examples of the concept that are associated to the concept of interest but do not possess all the defining attributes (Walker, & Avant, 2011, p. 165). They have similar ideals to the model case but differ from them when analyzed more closely. Under this close examination, one can determine which characteristic can be classified as a defining attribute and which is not. Related cases show how the case of interest is in relation to other concepts similar to it. Related cases of the attachment example would be concepts like love and dependency which is similar but do not have all the defining attributes (Walker, & Avant, 2011, p. 174). Contrary cases helps to facilitate further understanding of what a case is by acknowledging what the case is not (Walker, & Avant, 2011, p.