Theory Workgroup

Group Membership:

Organizing Co-chairs: Prohaska  ( Prohaska@uic.edu) and Stahl
Members: Rosemary Breger (OHSU), Steve Belle, Geoffrey Williams (Univ of Rochester), Jeff Migneault (Boston U. School of Med), Daryl Sharp (Univ of Rochester), Sandra Lapham (BHRCS), Lisa Klesges (Mayo Clinic), Hollie Raynor (Miriam Hospital), Barbara Rimer (UNC), Isaac Lipkus (Duke), John Roll (FRI), Janet Cole Baca (BHRCS), Marcia Ory and Joe Sharkey (HMCRC).

Mission Statement:

• Evaluate how theories are truly being tested across consortium.
• Look at whether we can combine parts of different theories and incorporate them into our interventions.
• Examine what can be learned from underlying constructs that may not be related to theory.
• Model how important components of theories are operationalized in interventions.
• Define/illustrate for each site 1) theories, 2) constructs, 3) interventions and 4) measures.  Look at how outcome measures are linked to theoretical constructs. Map out how theory is linked to interventions across studies
• Provide the menu of theories to identify promising potential theories, variables that could be added to other grantees studies to permit theory testing and greater use of theory.  There are opportunities to add theoretical measures to other studies (i.e. self-determination, expectancies, pros/cons)
• Looking at overlapping theory.  We can map out commonalities in among studies.  Can we come to a unifying theory by looking at the overlap?
• Contribute “mapping” instructions for logic models to greater research community. Mapping will include application of theory to treatment and outcomes and strategies to measure process and outcome.