What are we measuring and why? Using theory to guide perinatal research and measurement

Abstract

Background: A theory is a set of ideas that attempt to explain phenomena and can provide guiding principles on which to base practice. Many theories from biological and social sciences are relevant to women’s health and well-being during pregnancy and after birth, yet theory is not commonly explicitly reported in perinatal research. Method: This paper outlines the importance of theory to perinatal research and provides a pragmatic overview of when and how to use theory in research. In particular, we consider (i) deciding when it is appropriate to use theory, (ii) choosing which theory to use and (iii) how to operationalise theory in research. We give examples that illustrate how four different theories have been used in perinatal research to increase understanding and inform the development of interventions. Conclusion: Even when it is not appropriate to use theory in our research, careful consideration of pertinent theories contributes to greater clarity of concepts and understanding of different explanations or perspectives on what we are studying. It also prompts us to consider where our research fits in terms of contribution to knowledge or the development and evaluation of treatments. However, it is important that a critical approach is taken so that theories continue to be developed. In this way we will systematically advance our understanding of general factors or processes that are relevant to perinatal health, as well as those factors that are unique to perinatal health.

Keywords:

• theory
• measurement
• research
• pregnancy
• postpartum
• postnatal
• perinatal

Acknowledgements

We are indebted to Jill Francis from City University London whose work informed many of the ideas in this article.

Notes

1. Perinatal research is not the only academic discipline that does not explicitly utilise theory. The same search using the words ‘depression’ and ‘theory’ found 19.08% of papers included the word theory, and this decreased to 0.03% when ‘theory’ was restricted to the title, abstract or keywords.