Study on the Psychobiological Characteristics of Sasang Typology Based on the Type-Specific Pathophysiological Digestive Symptom

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the psychobiological traits of each Sasang typology based on the Sasang Digestive function Inventory (SDFI) which measures the Sasang type-specific pathophysiological digestive symptom. The SDFI, Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and NEO-Personality Inventory (NEOPI) were measured with 199 College students. The correlation coefficient was measured with Pearson correlation among SDFI, TCI, and NEOPI. The influence of TCI, sex and age on SDFI and its subscales were analyzed with regression analysis. We also compared the psychobiological features between high and low SDFI score groups to elucidate its psychobiological profiles. There was significant correlation between SDFI and TCI Harm-Avoidance (r=-0.192, p<0.001). The SDFI subscales were showed to have significant correlations with subscales of NEOPI and TCI. The regression model with TCI can explain 8-16% of type-specific pathophysiological digestive symptoms. The low SDFI score group (39±9.3) has significantly (p=0.007) higher than the high SDFI group (33.6±12.2) in TCI Harm-Avoidance which is considered important for the gastrointestinal dysfunction and So-Eum type differentiation. We found that the TCI may explain the mechanism underneath the Sasang type-specific pathophysiological symptom. It was suggested that the TCI Reward-Dependence would be useful for the study on Tae-Eum Sasang type, and its clinical meanings were discussed in the pathophysiological perspectives. 