Learning Objective #1: Examine the utility of using a person-oriented approach when studying human development to help nursing science better guide nursing theory and practice

Learning Objective #2: Identify research design issues and statistical methodologies that facilitate the study of individual human development

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Purpose: Whenever any aspect of children or childhood is studied, development must be considered because childhood is a time of great changes for individuals. Developmental science is a relatively new interdisciplinary branch of science that evolved to understand complex, dynamic systems associated with individual change over time. The purpose of this paper is to examine the usefulness of the developmental science perspective and a person-oriented approach for nursing research. Method: Examples from a longitudinal study of adolescents will illustrate the use of the developmental science perspective. Findings: Although nursing is a holistic discipline, most nursing research focuses on group averages and/or relationships among variables. Yet, to examine complex individual processes, aspects of developmental science must be considered in study conceptualization and design through implementation and data analysis. A person-oriented theoretical approach to the study of development allows for the examination of developmental trajectories within individuals and addresses processes rather than just outcomes. This approach allows for a better understanding of development than do variable-oriented approaches that focus on only parts of the individual. This perspective also examines the interactions of individuals with their environments. The choice of statistical methods to be employed is as important as the research design. Choosing a person-centered approach, such as cluster analysis, allows the researcher to take this holistic and dynamic view and examine the individual's behavior in the context of dynamic systems. The person is both the conceptual and analytic unit. While variables are important in the person-centered approach, they are important only insofar as they are a part of a pattern within individuals. Conclusion: Developmental science and person-oriented analytic approaches have the potential to help nursing science better guide nursing theory and practice. Supported by: T32 NR07091, 1997-1999; NICHD T32 HD07376, 2001; Ruth P. Council Grants, Gamma Zeta Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International