A Study on Psychiatric Validity of Sa-sang Constitution Theory

Min, Sung Kil; Kim, Dong Kee; Park, Jin Kyun; Chun, Se Il

Abstract

OBJECT: This study is to examine the validity of constitutional classification of Sa-sang medical theory. This theory classifies the human constitution to 4 types according to classical oriental philosophy on yin and yang.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
Subjects were 312 medical students and 288 neurotic patients with diagnosis of neurotic, stress related and somatoform disorders and minor depressive episodes according to ICD-10. Medical students were classified to 4 Sa-sang constitutions by Noh Jung Woo scale, by Dr. Kim Dal Lae himself and Questionnaire for the Sa-sang Constitution Classification(QSCC II). For assessmnent of symptoms and signs, Korean version of SCL-90, a constitution scale and personality scale which were designed for this study were used. These instruments were found to be reliable and valid through statistical analysis. Subjects were asked to rate these scales. The data were analysed with factor analysis and factor scores were compared among 4 Sa-sang constitutions by ANOVA and t-test. The data from patient group were analysed with factor analysis and the results were compared with the Sa-sang medical theory.
RESULTS
Results of classification by 3 ways were inconsistent showing a significant difference among them. Among them, QSCC II was most reliable. In QSCC II, only the factor scores of factors of homophobia-obsession, weakness-sensitiveness-indigestion- chillness-skin syndrome, sexual weakness, passive-unsociable personality, introverted personality and rational personality, were significantly high in So-um (small yin) group of medical students. A factor of warmnes and active-sociable personality were significantly high in Tae-um(big yin) group. Also active-sociable and affective pesonality was partly related with So-yang(small yang) group.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that those present classification methods are inconsistent, that these methods are proving only parts of Sa-sang medical theory, and that objective and scientific studies are needed for reliability and validity of Sa-sang medical theory.