Johnson's Behaviour she explains her definitions of the

behavioral system model.

System Model Definition of nursing
Dorothy E. Johnson She defined nursing as “an external regulatory
force which acts to preserve the organization
and integration of the patients behaviors at an
optimum level under those conditions in which
the behaviors constitutes a threat to the
physical or social health, or in which illness is
found”
Four goals of nursing are to assist the
patient:

1. Whose behavior commensurate with

social demands.
2. Who is able to modify his behavior in
ways that it supports biological
imperatives
3. Who is able to benefit to the fullest
extent during illness from the
Introduction physicians knowledge and skill.
4. Whose behavior does not give
● Dorothy E. Johnson was born August
evidence of unnecessary trauma as a
21, 1919, in Savannah, Georgia.
consequence of illness
● B. S. N. from Vanderbilt University in
Nashville, Tennessee, in 1942; and Assumptions
her M.P.H. from Harvard University in There are several layers of assumptions that
Boston in 1948. Johnson makes in the development of
● From 1949 till retirement in 1978 she conceptualization of the behavioral system
was an assistant professor of pediatric model viz.
nursing, an associate professor of
nursing, and a professor of nursing at ● Assumptions about system
the University of California in Los ● Assumptions about structure
Angeles. ● Assumptions about functions
● Johnson stressed the importance of
research-based knowledge about the Assumptions about system
effect of nursing care on clients. There are 4 assumptions of system:

Behavior system model 1. First, there is “organization,

interaction, interdependency and
● Dorothy first proposed her model of integration of the parts and elements
nursing care in 1968 as fostering of of behaviors that go to make up the
“the efficient and effective behavioral system ”
functioning in the patient to prevent 2. A system “tends to achieve a balance
illness". among the various forces operating
● She also stated that nursing was within and upon it', and that man strive
“concerned with man as an integrated continually to maintain a behavioral
whole and this is the specific system balance and steady state by
knowledge of order we require”. more or less automatic adjustments
● In 1980 Johnson published her and adaptations to the natural forces
conceptualization of “behavioral impinging upon him.”
system of model for nursing”where 3. A behavioral system, which both
requires and results in some degree of
 regularity and constancy in behavior, ● Dependency subsystem: “approval,
is essential to man that is to say, it is attention or recognition and physical
functionally significant in that it serves assistance”
a useful purpose, both in social life ● Ingestive subsystem: “the emphasis
and for the individual. is on the meaning and structures of
4. Last, “system balance reflects the social events surrounding the
adjustments and adaptations that are occasion when the food is eaten”
successful in some way and to some ● Eliminative subsystem: “human
degree.”. cultures have defined different socially
acceptable behaviors for excretion of
Assumptions about structure and function waste ,but the existence of such a
of each subsystem pattern remains different from culture
to Culture.”
● “from the form the behavior takes and
● Sexual subsystem:" both biological
the consequences it achieves can be
and social factor affect the behavior in
inferred what “drive” has been
the sexual subsystem”
stimulated or what “goal” is being
● Aggressive subsystem: " it relates to
sought”
the behaviors concerned with
● Each individual has a “predisposition
protection and self preservation
to act with reference to the goal, in
Johnson views aggressive subsystem
certain ways rather than the other
as one that generates defensive
ways”. This predisposition is called as
response from the individual when life
“set”.
or territory is being threatened”
● Each subsystem has a repertoire of
● Achievement subsystem: " provokes
choices or “scope of action”
behavior that attempt to control the
● The fourth assumption is that it
environment intellectual, physical,
produce “observable outcome” that is
creative, mechanical and social skills
the individual’s behavior.
achievement are some of the areas
Each subsystem has three functional that Johnson recognizes".
requirements
Representation of Johnson's Model
1. System must be “protected" from Goal ----- Set --- Choice of Behavior ---
noxious influences with which system Behavior
cannot cope”.
● Affiliation
2. Each subsystem must be “nurtured”
● Dependency
through the input of appropriate
● Sexuality
supplies from the environment.
● Aggression
3. Each subsystem must be “stimulated”
● Elimination
for use to enhance growth and prevent
● Ingestion
stagnation.
● Achievement
● These behaviors are “orderly,
purposeful and predictable and The four major concepts
sufficiently stable and recurrent to be
amenable to description and ● “Human being” as having two major
explanation” systems, the biological system and the
behavioural system. It is the role of
Johnson’s Behavioral Subsystem medicine to focus on a biological
system where as Nursling's focus is
● Attachment or affiliative
on the behavioural system.
subsystem: “social inclusion intimacy
● “Society” relates to the environment in
and the formation and attachment of a
which the individual exists. According
strong social bond.”
to Johnson, an individual’s behaviour
 is influenced by the events in the set behaviour, repertoire, and observable
environment behaviour. The plan may include protection,
● “Health” is a purposeful adaptive nurturance or stimulation of the identified
response, physically mentally, subsystem.
emotionally, and socially to internal Evaluation
and external stimuli in order to Evaluation is based on the attainment of a
maintain stability and comfort. goal of balance in the identified subsystems. If
● “Nursing” has a primary goal that is to the baseline data are available for an
foster equilibrium within the individual. individual, the nurse may have goal for the
Nursing is concerned with the individual to return to the baseline behaviour. If
organized and integrated whole, but the alterations in the behaviour that are
that the major focus is on maintaining planned do occur, the nurse should be able to
a balance in the Behavior system observe the return to the previous behavior
when illness occurs in an individual. patterns. Johnson's behavioural model with
the nursing process is a nurse-centered
Nursing process activity, with the nurse determining the client's
Assessment needs and stating behaviour appropriate for
Grubbs developed an assessment tool based that need.
on Johnson’s seven subsystems plus a Johnson’s and Characteristics of a theory
subsystem she labeled as restorative which
focused on activities of daily living. An ● Interrelate concepts to create a
assessment based on behavioral model does different way of viewing a
not easily permit the nurse to gather detailed phenomenon - Concepts in Johnson's
information about the biological systems: theory are interrelated.
● Theories must be logical in nature-
● Affiliation Johnson's theory is logical in nature.
● Dependency ● Theories must be simple yet
● Sexuality generalizable - The theory is simple.
● Aggression ● Theories can be bases of hypothesis
● Elimination that can be tested - Research studies
● Ingestion are conducted applying Jonhson's
● Achievement theory.
● Restorative ● Theories contribute to and assist in
increasing the body of knowledge
Diagnosis
within the discipline through the
Diagnosis tends to be general to the system
research implemented to validate
than specific to the problem. Grubb has
them.
proposed 4 categories of nursing diagnosis
● Theories can be utilized by
derived from Johnson's behavioral system
practitioners to guide and improve
model:
their practice.
● Insufficiency ● Theories must be consistent with other
● Discrepancy validated theories, laws and principles
● Incompatibility but will leave unanswered questions
● Dominance that need to be investigated.

Planning and implementation Limitation

Implementation of the nursing care related to
● Johnson does not clearly interrelate
the diagnosis may be difficult because of lack
her concepts of subsystems
of clients input in to the plan. the plan will
comprising the behavioral system
focus on nurses actions to modify clients
model.
behavior, these plan than have a goal ,to bring
● The definition of concept is so abstract
about homeostasis in a subsystem, based on
that they are difficult to use.
nursing assessment of the individuals drive,
● It is difficult to test Johnson's model by
development of hypothesis.
● The focus on the behavioral system
makes it difficult for nurses to work
with physically impaired individual to
use this theory.
● The model is very individual oriented
so the nurses working with the group
have difficulty in its implementation.
● The model is very individual oriented
so the family of the client is only
considered as an environment.
● Johnson does not define the expected
outcomes when one of the systems is
affected by the nursing implementation
an implicit expectation is made that all
humans in all cultures will attain the
same outcome –homeostasis.
● Johnson’s behavioural system model
is not flexible.