Concept analysis
Research Methods
Definition. Concept analysis is a systematic method for clarifying the meaning of a concept by identifying its defining attributes, antecedents, consequences and empirical referents, so that the concept can be used consistently in research, theory and practice.
Explanation
Walker and Avant (2019) present concept analysis as one of three analysis strategies for theory construction in nursing. Their procedure moves from selecting a concept and listing its uses to stating its defining attributes, constructing model, borderline and contrary cases, and naming its antecedents, consequences and empirical referents. Rodgers (1989) criticised the essentialist assumptions behind this approach and proposed an evolutionary method that treats concepts as dynamic and context-dependent, while Risjord (2009) argued that concept analysis cannot precede theory development but must be carried out as part of it.
A scoping review of concept analyses published between 1972 and 2017 identified 958 papers addressing 604 concepts, with frequent re-analysis of the same concepts and 43 distinct descriptions of method, and concluded that conceptual work must be linked to solving real problems in the discipline (Rodgers et al., 2018). On The Health Topics the method is applied to value-based healthcare (Understanding Value-Based Healthcare: A Concept Analysis) and used to derive a working definition with five defining attributes for symbiotic nursing (Kurutkan, 2026).
Related concepts
Theory building Middle-range theory Construct validity Methodological coherence
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References
Risjord, M. (2009). Rethinking concept analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(3), 684–691. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2008.04903.x
Rodgers, B. L. (1989). Concepts, analysis and the development of nursing knowledge: The evolutionary cycle. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 14(4), 330–335. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.1989.tb03420.x
Rodgers, B. L., Jacelon, C. S., & Knafl, K. A. (2018). Concept analysis and the advance of nursing knowledge: State of the science. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 50(4), 451–459. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12386
Walker, L. O., & Avant, K. C. (2019). Strategies for theory construction in nursing (6th ed.). Pearson.
Cite this entry: Kurutkan, M. N. (2026). Concept analysis. In The Health Topics glossary. https://healthtopic.org/glossary/concept-analysis/