Evaluate the use of the Melzack and Wall's Gate Control Theory of Pain as the framework for a quantitative descriptive study of the frequency of headaches in men, versus women
a. The framework is well connected to the study's constructs.
b. The framework is suitable because headache is pain.
c. The framework is gratuitous; it discusses pain at the cellular level.
d. The framework is well integrated with the methodology.
ANS: C
A framework is the abstract, logical structure of meaning that guides the development of the study and enables the researcher to link the findings to nursing's body of knowledge. Frameworks are used in quantitative research and sometimes in qualitative research. In quantitative studies, the framework may be a testable theoretical structure or may be developed inductively from published research or clinical observations. Every quantitative study has a theoretical framework, although some researchers do not identify or describe the theoretical framework in the report of the study. Ideally, the framework of a quantitative study is carefully structured, clearly presented, and well integrated with the methodology. One needs to identify and evaluate the extent to which the framework guides the study methodology. Melzack and Wall's Gate Control Theory of Pain identifies neural contributions to the perception of pain; its explanation is at the cellular level, so it is an illogical choice for this research. The difference in headache frequency between men and women is best explained by a framework that includes gender differences in perception, metabolism, glucose levels, stress, or something that explains the differences between the two groups.
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