Internal Dimensions The internal dimensions of a theory act as guidelines to describe a theory to enhance understanding of the approaches used to evolve it and in identifying gaps in the theory (Meleis, 2018). The first dimension is the rationale on which the theory is built (Meleis, 2018). The components of the theory of self-transcendence are united in a chain-link and it is based on certain sets of relationships that are deduced from a small set of basic principles and are therefore hierarchical in nature (Reed, 2008). The second dimension to consider is that of the system of relations (Meleis, 2018). In the theory of self-transcendence, the elements explain relations and self-transcendence is a mediator of the relationship between vulnerability and well-being outcomes may …show more content…
The attention to the need in nursing for theories addresses knowledge of order, knowledge of disorder, and knowledge of control (Meleis, 2018). Self-transcendence theory addresses knowledge of the process, which included the nursing process and nurse-patient interactions (Reed, 2008). In addition, it addresses the knowledge of order for phenomena that are central to objects, events, and interactions in a healthy context (Reed, 2008). Abstractness, the eighth theory dimension (Meleis, 2018), is evaluated by the length of reduction and deduction between its propositions and it would be at the high end (Reed, 2008). The method of theory development is the ninth internal dimension (Melesi, 2018). Reed used the dialectic method of reasoning in developing her theory, as manifested in the way that higher-level principles are subsumed under lower-level concepts (Reed, 2008). The theory was developed by working from various directions, nursing philosophy, and Rogerian thought, lifespan developmental theory, and practice experiences (the dialectic method) (Reed,