ADAPTATION MODEL by Sister Callista Roy, RN, Ph. D.

Born: October 14, 1939

1963 – BA in Nursing, Mount Saint Mary’s College, LA
1966 – Masters degree in Pediatric Nursing , University of California, Los
Angeles (UCLA)
1973 – MA in Sociology
1977 – Ph. D. in Sociology
Influential person: Dorothy E. Johnson – her mentor; challenged her in a
seminar during her enrolment in a master’s degree
“Adaptation: A Conceptual Framework for Nursing” – first article she
published in Nursing in 1970
Essentials of Outlook
the Roy Adaptation Model – published in 1986
The Roy Adaptation Model – published in 1999

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DEFINITION OF NURSING
The goal of nursing is the promotion of the
adaptive responses in relation to the four
adaptive mode information about the person’s
adaptation of focal, contextual and residual
stimuli. Nursing involves the manipulation of
these stimuli to promote adaptive responses.
ADAPTATION – “the processes and outcome
whereby thinking and feeling persons as
individuals or groups, USE CONSCIOUS
AWARENESS and CHOICE to create HUMAN and
ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRATION”
ADAPTIVE SYSTEM – patient is a person
(individual/groups) who “uses coping skills to deal
with stressors” 11/02/22 TAF 2022
METAPARADIGM IN NURSING
A. PERSON
A biopsychosocial being in constant
interaction with a changing environment.
Open adaptive system – use coping skill to
deal with stressors
Individuals or in groups
B. ENVIRONMENT
Conditions, circumstances and influences
that affect the development and behavior
of a person or group.
“Residual stimuli” stressors whose
influence are not clear11/02/22 TAF 2022
 C. HEALTH – Process of being and
becoming an integrated and whole
person.
It is a reflection of adaptation, that is,
the interaction of the person and the
environment.

D. NURSING- Science and practice

that expand adaptive abilities and
enhances person and environment
transformation. 11/02/22 TAF 2022
GOAL OF NURSING –promotion of adaptation
contributing to person's health and quality of life and
dying with dignity.

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KEY CONCEPTS IN ROY
ADAPTATION MODEL
Person is adapting in a stable
interaction with the internal and
external environment.
•Environment is a source of stimuli
that either threaten or promote the
person's unique wholeness.
•Person's major task is to maintain
INTEGRITY in the face of these stimuli
•Integrity is the degree of wholeness
achieved by adapting to changes in
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TYPES OF STIMULI:
1. FOCAL – most immediately
confronting the person; attracts the
most attention.
2. CONTEXTUAL– strengthens the
effect of the focal stimulus.
3. RESIDUAL– affects the focal
stimulus but the effects are unclear.
They act together and influence the
Adaptation Level or the ability to
respond positively in a situation.
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2 Categories of Coping Mechanisms
1. Regulator subsystem- transpires through
neural, chemical & endocrine processes
(increase in v/s-sympathetic response to
stress)Automatic responses to stimuli
2.Cognator subsystem- occurs through
cognitive-emotive processes (effects of
prolonged hospitalization for a four-year old
child)
2 Control processes
1.Stabilizer- establishes sturctures, values &
daily activities
2.Innovator- emotional & cognitive strategies
that allow a person to change to higher levels
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of potential
4 ADAPTIVE MODES:
1. Physiological – the way a person responds as a
physical being to stimuli from the environment
Goal – Physiological Integrity
5 Physiologic Needs:
Oxygenation
Nutrition
Elimination
Activity and rest
Protection

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2. Self-concept – Psychological and
spiritual characteristics of the person
consist of all beliefs and feelings that one
has formed about oneself.
2 Components:
Physical Self – body sensation and body
image
Personal Self – self-consistency, self-
ideal,moral, ethical and spiritual self
Goal – Psychological/Psychic Integrity

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3. Role Function – primary,
secondary and tertiary roles that a
person performs in the society.
Role – a set of expectations about how
a person occupying a position behaves
towards a person in another position.
Goal – Social Integrity

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4. Interdependence – coping
mechanism from close relationship
which results to giving and receiving
of love, respect and value.
Occurs between the person and the
most significant other or the person
and the support system.
Goal – Affectional Adequacy

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•Adaptive or ineffective responses
result from these coping mechanisms
•Adaptive responses support the
INTEGRITY of the person
•Major task of a person is to become
accustomed with environmental
stimuli in order to achieve survival,
growth, development and mastery.

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NURSING PROCESS – goal-oriented, problem-
solving approach to guide the provision of
comprehensive competent nursing care to a person
or group of persons.

6 STEPS:
1.Assessment of Behavior
Data gathering about the behavior of a person as
an adaptive system in each of the adaptive modes

Observable behavior – Vital Signs (BP, PR, RR,

Temperature)
Non-observable behavior – feelings (anxiety)

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2. Assessment of Stimuli – possible
causes of a particular set of behaviors
STIMULI- any change in the internal and
external environment that induces a
response in the adaptive system

3. Nursing Diagnosis– formulation of

statements that interpret data about the
adaptation status of a person, including
behavior and most relevant stimuli.

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4. Goal Setting – establishment of clear statements
of behavioral outcomes for nursing care, done
together with the patient.
S-pecific
M-easurable
A-ttainable
R-ealistic
T-ime-focused
5. Intervention– determination of how best to
assist the person in attaining the established goals.

6. Evaluation– judging the effectiveness of the

nursing intervention in relation to the behavior after
it was performed as compared to the established
goals.
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Thank you!

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