Self-Transcendence Theory

The Theory of Self-Transcendence: An Evaluative Review Theory, according to Smith and Liehr (2014), is defined as “a creative constellation of ideas, offered as a possible explanation or description of an observed or experienced phenomenon” (p. 37). Middle range nursing theories link nursing research to clinical practice and provide valuable frameworks for the study and application of nursing phenomena. Of particular interest to me is the theory of self-transcendence and its significance in nursing practice. The theory of self-transcendence, was developed by Pamela Reed, who utilized the process of deductive reformulation to enhance the understanding of the end-of-life phenomenon of self-transcendence (Reed, 1991). Among the key foundational concepts that Reed incorporated into the theory were adult social-cognitive and transpersonal developmental life span theories, along with Martha Roger’s life span principals, as well as Reed’s own clinical experience (Reed, 1991). In defining her theory Reed (2009) states “The theory [of self-transcendence] proposes that individuals who face human …show more content…
Well-being, and vulnerability will be defined in the following paragraphs. Lenz et al., stated “middle-range theories (are those) that are sufficiently specific to guide research and practice, yet sufficiently general to cross multiple clinical populations and to encompass similar phenomena” (as cited in Higgins & Moore, 2000, p. 181). As I will further discuss in functional adequacy section of this paper, the theory of self-transcendence has been applied to many populations including, breast cancer patients, the homeless, and oncology and hospice nurses to name a few. It is this ability of the theory to be applicable across multiple populations, developmental life spans, and disease processes, that I believe, places this theory in the middle range levels of