Study on the college students' psychological characteristics of personality of the nine constitutions in traditional Chinese medicine

Abstract

Objective To explore the psychological characteristics of personality of the nine constitutions in Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM), so as to enrich and develop the theory related with constitution in TCM. Methods From May 2009 to June 2009, 540 college students from two universities in Beijing were investigated by cross-sectional survey. Cluster sampling method was adopted and the constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire(CCMQ) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Short Scale for Chinese (EPQ-RSC) was used. Results ①In extraversion-introversion dimension, Gentleness type had the highest score(56.52±8.48) and Qi-depression type had the lowest score(45.88±11.13). The scores of seven pathological constitutions(Qi-deficiency type, Yang-deficiency type, Phlegm-wetness type, Wet-heat type, Blood-stasis type, Qi-depression type and Special diathesis type) were significantly lower than the score of Gentleness type(P<0.01). In neuroticism dimension, Qi-depression type had the highest score (59.31±9.70) and Gentleness type had the lowest score (44.08±8.55). There were significant differences(P<0.01)between the score of Gentleness type and the scores of Qi-deficiency type, Yin-deficiency type, Wet-heat type, Blood-stasis type and Qi-depression type. In psychoticism dimension, there were no significant differences between the score of Gentleness type and the scores of eight pathological constitutions. ② Gentleness type was used as control, multivariate logistic regression analysis of psychological characteristics of personality of the eight pathological constitutions showed that the extraversion-introversion dimension was the meaningful relation factor of Qi-deficiency type, Yang-deficiency type, Phlegm-wetness type, Wet-heat type, Blood-stasis type, Qi-depression type and Special diathesis type. The neuroticism dimension was the meaningful relation factor of Qi-deficiency type, Yin-deficiency type, Phlegm-wetness type, Wet-heat type, Blood-stasis type, Qi-depression type and Special diathesis type. Conclusion People with nine different constitutional types in TCM have shown corresponding psychological characteristics of personality. This study illustrates that nine constitutions in TCM are related to psychological characteristics of personality. Key words: Constitutional types in tradition Chinese medicine; Psychological characteristics of personality; Constitution in Chinese medicine questionnaire(CCMQ )