Test-retest reliability of the questionnaire in the Sasang constitutional analysis tool (SCAT)

Abstract

BackgroundThe Sasang constitutional analysis tool (SCAT) is an integrated Sasang constitutional analysis system developed by the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of a questionnaire for measuring personality and pathophysiological symptoms that is one of the components of the SCAT. MethodsIn this study, data were collected from university students in their twenties. Tests were administered twice, with an interval of 4 weeks between tests. Test-retest data from 176 students were collected and used for analysis. Internal consistency reliability was analyzed by using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and test-retest reliability was analyzed by using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. ResultsCronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.788 for personality, 0.511 for eating habits, 0.718 for digestion, 0.667 for heat- or cold-wise penchant, and 0.612 for water ingestion. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients, which were used to assess correlations between test and retest results, ranged from 0.444 to 0.828. ConclusionThe internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the SCAT questionnaire were found to be satisfactory.