Imogene King

Interacting Systems
Framework and Goal
Attainment Theory
 Theory (King):
A set of concepts, which, when defined, are
interrelated and observable in the world of
nursing practice.”
Theory serves to build “scientific knowledge
for nursing.”
 2 methods for developing
theory (King):
A theory can be developed and tested
through research
Research can provide data from which a
theory may be developed
King’s opinion is that “in today’s world of
building knowledge for a complex
profession such as nursing, one must
consider these two strategies.”
 Development of Interacting Systems
Framework:
Personal systems (individuals), individuals
exist within personal systems. An example
is being the patient or the nurse.
Interpersonal systems are formed when two
or more individuals interact, forming dyads
or triads.
Social system is referred to as a
comprehensive interacting system consists
of groups that make up society.
 Development of Goal Attainment
Theory:
• In 1981, King derived the Theory of Goal attainment
from her interacting systems
framework.
• The question that motivated her was: “What is the
nature of nursing?”. The answer:
“the way in which nurses, in their role, do
with and for individuals that differentiates
nursing from other health professionals”,
guide the development of GAT.
 Mutual goal setting is based on:
• A. Nurses’ assessment of client’s concerns,
problems, and disturbances in health
• B. Nurses’ and client’s perception
interference
• C. Their sharing of information whereby
each functions to help the client attain the
goals identified. In addition, nurses interact
with family members when clients cannot
verbally participate in the goal setting.
 Major Concepts and
Definitions:
Health is defined as dynamic life experiences of a
human being, which implies continuous adjustment
to stressors in the internal and external environment
through optimum use of one’s resources to achieve
maximum potential for daily living.
Nursing is defined as a process of action,
reaction, and interaction whereby nurse and client
share information about their perceptions in the
nursing situation.
 The self is a composite of thoughts and feelings
which constitute a person’s awareness of his/ her
individual existence, his/ her conception of who and
what he/ she is.
A person’s self is the total of all he/ she can call his/
hers. The self includes, among other things, a system
of ideas, attitudes, values and commitments. The self
is a person’s total subjective environment. It is a
distinctive center of experience and significance. The
self constitutes a person’s inner world as distinguished
from the outer consisting of all other people and
things. The self is the individual as known to the
individual. It is that to which we refer when we say “I”.
• Perception: a process in which data
obtained through the senses and from
memory are organized, interpreted, and
transformed

• Self: made up of thoughts and feelings

related to one’s awareness of being a
person separate from others and
influencing one’s view of who and what he
or she is
• Growth & development: processes in
people’s lives through which the move
from a potential for achievement to
actualization of self
• Body Image: includes both the way one
perceives one’s body and others’ reactions
to one’s appearance
• Space: physical area known as territory and
by the behaviours of those who occupy it
• Time: an interval between the two events
that is experienced differently by each
person
• Interactions: observable behaviours of two
or more persons in mutual presence
• Communication: verbal and non verbal
situational, perceptual, transactional,
irreversible, or moving fwd in time,
personal, and dynamic
• Transactions: a series of exchanges
between human beings and the
environment that include observable
behaviours that seek to reach goals of
worth to the participants
• Role: characteristic of role include
reciprocity in that a person may be a giver
at one time and a taker at another time,
with a relationship b/t two or more
individuals who are functioning in two or
more roles that are learned, social,
complex, and situational
• Stress: an ever changing condition in
which an individual, through
environmental interaction, seeks to keep
equilibrium to support growth and
development and activity
• Organization: made up of individuals who
have prescribed roles and positions and
who make use of resources to meet goalsboth
personal and organizational
• Authority: active, reciprocal process of
transaction in which the actors’
experience, understanding, and values
influence the meaning, legitimacy and
acceptance of those in organizational
positions associated with authority
• Status: the relationship of one’s place in a
group to others in the group or of a group
to other groups

• Decision Making: changing and orderly

process through which choices related to
goals are made among identified possible
activities and individual or group actions
are taken to move toward the goal