Table 7 Conceptual framework of maternal depression, stress and context—inference to best explanation
Criteria | Application |
|---|---|
Hill’s aspects of association | |
Strength | Final models integrate strong associations of financial stress, lack of support, lost expectations and findings related to migrant mothers |
Consistency | Final models consistent with earlier models and analysis |
Specificity | No specificity identified |
Temporality | No temporality demonstrated in this study |
Biological gradient | Gradients were demonstrated in individual and ecological studies |
Plausibility | The associations described are plausible |
Coherence | The association is coherent with what is know |
Experimental evidence | No experimental evidence was identified |
Analogy | There are analogies between the propositions here and The Stress Process Model |
Thagard’s Principles | |
Symmetry | There is symmetry in the final models depression |
Explanation | The propositions (a) coheres with evidence on depression, (b) coheres with other propositions and (c) are not a single proposition. |
Analogy | There are analogies between the propositions here and The Stress Process Model |
Data priority | The propositions describe the QUANT and QUAL data observations. |
Contradiction | There are no contradictory proposals |
Competition | No competitive explanation identified where p and q were not explanatorily connected |
Acceptance | The propositions are coherent with the overall system of propositions |
Thagard’s Criteria | |
Consilience | The propositions explain a significant range of known facts |
Simplicity | The propositions are the most simple set of explanations |
Analogy | There are analogies between the propositions here and The Stress Process Model |