A Statstical Analysis of the Question Categories concerning 'Sasang Constitutional Characteristics of Mind'

성격 특성에 관한 체질판별 문진항목의 통계적 분석

Objectives : To evaluate the properness and effectiveness of the question categories concerning 'sasang constitutional characteristics of mind', used in Iksan Wonkwang Oriental Medicine. Methods : We statistically analyzed data from those 1335 patients focussing on 'relative discrimination ability' to sasang constructions and 'response ratio'. Patients included in this research are only those who had been well treated in Iksan Wonkwang Oriental Medicine during the Period of three years from 2000 to 2002. The data are obtained through the electronic chart developed by Kim Jong-Yeal, and analyzed using the statistical Package SPSS. Results: In total characteristics of mind, the question category of 'timid' has high discriminating power and effectiveness to Soeum type, more in women than men, and especially with an age of 21 or more; The category of 'hasty-tempered' to Soyang type in women with all ages and men with ages 21-40; The category of 'broad-minded' to Taeum type with ages 41 or more; The category of 'timid and broad-minded' to Soyang type, and especially high to women with ages 41 or more. Question categories concerning response type in anger were estimated to have different response patterns to sasang constructions only for ages 21 or more by $X^2$2 test. The question category of 'bear and last long' has high discriminating power and effectiveness to Soeum type, more in men than women, and increasingly to ages; The category of 'impatient and disarmed quickly' to Soyang type in both women and men, especially with ages 21 or more; The category of 'impatient' to Soyang type women or with ages 21 or more. Other categories have low discriminating power or low effectiveness. Concernig expression type of one's thought, the question category of 'straightly' has high discriminating power and effectiveness to Soyang type, more in wemen than men, and especially to ages 21 or more; The category of 'tender' to Soeum type, in women or with ages 40 or less; The category of 'indirectly' to Taeum type in men or with ages 41 or more; The category of 'straightly and stuborn' to Soyang type with ages 41 or more; The category of 'indirectly and tender' to Soeum with with ages 20 or less; The category of 'not express and tender' to Soeum type with ages 41 or more; Conclusions : Question categories concerning total characteristics of mind, response type in anger and expression type of one's thought, are partially discriminating and effective to specific constitution according to sex and ages, and some categories are more discriminating and effective when they are composited. But generally, the discriminating power of Taeum constitution group and group with ages 20 or less was too low, so it is necessary to develope question categories for those groups.