Search

Introduction Yin-Yang is a major clinical theory of East-Asian traditional medicine for evaluating biopsychological and pathophysiological features. The purpose of current study was to evaluate the Yin-Yang personality of pediatric outpatients using Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) which has been used for both adolescents and adults. Methods A total of 249 pediatric outpatients completed the SPQ, and respondents were divided into two groups - toddlers and preschoolers (age 1–6, n = 153) and elementary students (age 7–12, n = 96). Gender differences in the SPQ were examined using the Chi-squared test and t-test, and chronological changes of Yin-Yang personality were illustrated with Pearson’s correlation and boxplots. Results The psychometric features of the SPQ in pediatric outpatients were in accordance with those previously reported in community children. The correlation between age and SPQ was not significant (r = 0.049, n.s.) in elementary students, which was consistent with previous studies; however, a significant negative correlation (r=-0.351, p Conclusions The chronological characteristics of Yin-Yang personality of preschoolers with SPQ might be useful for understanding East-Asian traditional pediatric theories from a biopsychological perspective. The clinical implications of the current results in person-centered prevention and health promotion were discussed.

Introduction Yin-Yang is a principal theory in East-Asian medicine for scrutinizing biopsychological predisposition and pathological susceptibility. The cognitive emotion regulation strategy governs immediate response to stressful events, and mediates the effects of personality on biopsychological health and well-being; however, its relation to Yin-Yang personality has yet to be examined. Methods 247 Korean university students completed the Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) for Yin-Yang personality and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ). Stepwise regression analysis was employed to examine the effects of SPQ subscales on adaptive (aCERQ) and maladaptive CERQ (mCERQ) total score. Latent Profile Analysis was applied to extract hidden groups in aCERQ and mCERQ subscales, while Profile Analysis and the F-test examined differences in SPQ and CERQ subscale profiles and scores between extracted latent groups. Results Three SPQ subscales explained 13% and 8% of the total variance of the aCERQ and mCERQ total scores, respectively. High SPQ-Behavior and gender explained the aCERQ total score, while low SPQ-Behavior and high SPQ-Emotionality explained the mCERQ total score. There were significant differences in SPQ-Behavior and SPQ-Cognition between more and less adaptive groups, and in SPQ-Behavior and SPQ-Emotionality between less and more maladaptive groups. Conclusions The subscales of Yin-Yang personality was shown to explain the use of cognitive emotion regulation as individual trait and complex profile. The usefulness of Yin-Yang for improving mental health in college education were discussed.

Background Medical students have a high risk of burnout from tremendous academic stress, and previous cross-sectional studies have explained this risk from the personality perspective. However, the relationship between complex personality profiles and developmental trajectory of burnout has not been delineated yet. Methods The longitudinal changes in burnout were measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) at baseline (1st week), mid-term (9th week), and end-term (17th week), and personality was examined at baseline using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Latent trajectory groups based on the MBI-SS total scores were extracted using the General Growth Mixture Model (GGMM), and significant differences in personality profiles among the latent groups were identified using profile analysis and Analysis of Variance. Results Three burnout trajectory groups of high-increasing (HI), moderate-increasing (MI), and low-stable (LS) were identified, and these groups had significantly different TCI subscale profiles. The HI group had the highest score in Harm-Avoidance (HA) and lowest score in Self-Directedness (SD), and the MI group had a higher score in HA and lower scores in SD and Cooperativeness (CO) when compared to the LS group with the lowest score in HA and highest scores in SD and CO. Conclusion The current study showed that the HA, SD, and CO subscales of the TCI might explain the longitudinal development of academic burnout in medical students. Prevention of burnout and promotion of well-being in medical education concerning personality are discussed.

Background: The biopsychological, pathological and physical characteristics of Yin-Yang (Eum-Yang in Korean) have been suggested using Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), however, the revision of SPQ is required for escalating its clinical use and multidimensional study on Yin-Yang. Methods: 274 university students were recruited to complete the SPQ, candidate items of revised SPQ (rSPQ) along with the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). After selecting rSPQ items using Item Analysis and Explorative Factor Analysis, its psychometric property was examined using Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Pearson’s correlation and t-test. The biopsychological features of Yin and Yang personality groups based on rSPQ total score were illustrated with the TCI using ANOVA and Profile Analysis. Results: The behavior, cognition and emotion subscales of 15-item rSPQ had robust psychometric construct and showed distinctive psychological characteristics of Yin-Yang. The rSPQ-total score was correlated positively with SPQ-total (r = 0.644, p

Background: The Yin-Yang is a pivotal concept of traditional East-Asian medicine, however the stability of Yin-Yang temperament in Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) over time has not been extensively studied. The purpose of this study was to examine the test-retest validity of SPQ with a large number of participants. Methods: SPQ test was conducted two times with three months interval in 247 Korean university students. The structural validity of first SPQ data was examined with Factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha, and the correlation between first and second measure of SPQ was attested with Pearson's correlation. Yang, Uncertain and Yin temperament groups were determined with SPQ total scores, and agreement of temperament group clustering between first and second measures were analyzed with Cohen's Kappa. Results: Three subscales of SPQ explained 55.25% of total variances, and internal consistency of SPQ total score was 0.772. The correlation coefficient between first and second measures of SPQ were 0.851 and 0.888 in male and female, respectively, and the agreement of first and second Yin-Yang temperament group clustering as Cohen's Kappa was 0.536 for male and 0.637 for female. Conclusion: The repeatability of SPQ measuring Yin-Yang temperament at three months of interval was found to be satisfactory. The SPQ would be a reliable clinical measure for the biopsychological studies of traditional East-Asian medicine. Keywords: Body Mass Index, Sasang Personality Questionnaire, Repeatability, University students, Yin-Yang temperament

Background: Previous studies suggest that personality traits play an important role in academic burnout. The aim of this study was to investigate how Cloninger’s temperament and character traits explain academic burnout in a highly competitive environment of medical school. Methods: A total of 184 Korean medical students participated in the survey. The Cloninger’s Temperament and Character Inventory was measured around the beginning of the semester and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey at the end of the semester. The correlations and stepwise regression analysis were conducted to explain the association between personality traits and academic burnout. In addition, latent profile analysis and profile analysis were employed to distinguish and explain differences of personality traits among latent academic burnout subgroups. Results: The higher harm avoidance of temperament and lower self-directedness and cooperativeness of character predicted the subscales of academic burnout in medical students. The Temperament and Character Inventory personality profile of high, middle, and low latent burnout subgroups were significantly different. Conclusion: This study showed that personality might account for the burnout level in medical education. The importance of character dimension for modulating the effects of temperament traits on academic burnout was discussed for future research. Keywords: academic burnout, Korean medical students, latent profile analysis, temperament and character

Background: Animation characters are created to embody distinctive personalities and body images; however, these features have not been analyzed with objective measures based on East Asian theory. The purpose of this study was to analyze the biopsychological features of seven animation characters in Pororo the Little Penguin, which scored unprecedented success in Korea, with clinically validated and standardized measures of Sasang typology. Methods: Forty-one graduate students completed a survey examining body mass index (BMI) and Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) of seven characters in Pororo the Little Penguin after watching three selected episodes. The differences in physical appearance and psychological traits among animation characters were analyzed with analysis of variance. Results: SPQ and BMI showed distinctive biopsychological features of seven animation characters. Pororo (28.29 ± 6.38 and 36.61 ± 3.09) was a typical So-Yang type boy, Petty (20.98 ± 4.07 and 31.66 ± 4.59) was a typical So-Yang type girl, and Loopy (28.05 ± 6.60 and 22.78 ± 4.78) was a typical So-Eum type girl in terms of BMI and SPQ, respectively. The BMI and SPQ of Poby (41.10 ± 4.26 and 22.32 ± 3.48) and Harry (19.63 ± 5.17 and 37.61 ± 2.40) showed the most obvious contrast. Conclusion: This study showed that SPQ and BMI are useful objective measures for analyzing the biopsychosocial features of animation characters as well as patients. The interdisciplinary research methodology of Sasang typology suggested here would provide useful tools for educating healthcare professionals and the general public about Korean medicine, and also contribute to the development of animation characters. Keywords: animation character, body mass index, Pororo the Little Penguin, Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), Sasang typology

Background: The Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) is an objective measure of Yin–Yang temperament of Sasang typology with proven clinical and structural validity; however, it has not been validated in people younger than 20 years. The purpose of this study was to examine the biopsychological structure of the SPQ in high school students. Methods: A total of 670 Korean high school students (365 boys and 305 girls) completed the SPQ, Junior version of Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI), and weight and height measures. The correlation between the SPQ and JTCI subscales was investigated, and the differences of these subscales, body mass index, and Pondera Index between the high (30%), middle (40%), and low (30%) SPQ total score groups were examined with analysis of variance. The profile analysis was also performed to compare JTCI subscale profiles of the three SPQ total score groups. Results: The SPQ total score significantly correlated positively with JTCI novelty seeking (r = 0.548 and r = 0.540) and negatively with JTCI harm avoidance (r = –0.393 and r = –0.395) in boys and girls, respectively. The JTCI novelty-seeking score is significantly higher in the high SPQ total score group (24.12 ± 5.27 and 24.15 ± 5.17 for boys and girls, respectively) than in the low SPQ total score group (16.49 ± 5.08 and 17.24 ± 4.83, respectively), and the JTCI harm-avoidance score is significantly higher in the low SPQ total score group (25.34 ± 6.08 and 26.64 ± 5.77 for boys and girls, respectively) than in the high SPQ total score group (19.27 ± 6.62 and 19.23 ± 6.00, respectively). The JTCI subscale profiles for the three SPQ total score groups were significantly different for boys (degrees of freedom = 3.416, F = 292.16, p

Background Cognitive emotion regulation plays a crucial role in psychopathology, resilience and well-being by regulating response to stress situations. However, the relationship between personality and adaptive and maladaptive regulation has not been sufficiently examined. Methods Adaptive and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies of 247 university students were measured using the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) and their temperament and character characteristics were analyzed with the Temperament and Character Inventory—Revised Short (TCI-RS). Two-step hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to analyze whether TCI-RS explains the use of adaptive and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies. The latent classes of cognitive emotion regulation strategies were extracted with Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and significant differences in the subscales of CERQ and TCI-RS were examined with Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Profile Analysis after controlling for sex and age. Results The two-step hierarchical multiple regression model using the seven TCI-RS subscales explained 32.30% of the adaptive and 41.70% of the maladaptive CERQ subscale scores when sex and age were introduced in the first step as covariates. As for temperament, Novelty Seeking (NS) and Persistence (PS) were pivotal for adaptive and Harm Avoidance (HA) and PS for maladaptive CERQ total scores. In addition, the character traits Self-Directedness (SD) and Cooperativeness (CO) were critical for high adaptive and low maladaptive CERQ scores. Four latent emotion regulation classes were confirmed through LCA, and distinct TCI-RS profiles were found. The temperament trait HA and character trait SD were significantly different among the four latent emotion regulation classes. Discussion This study demonstrated that SD and CO are related to cognitive emotion regulation strategies along with psychological health and well-being, and that PS exhibits dualistic effects when combined with NS or HA on response to stressful situations. The importance of developing mature character represented by higher SD and CO in regard to mental health and its clinical implementation was discussed.

IntroductionExtant studies have examined the effect of psychological characteristics on clinical features that define behavior problems. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of temperament and character as both individual factors and complex profiles on behavior problems in a community sample of adolescents.MethodsBehavior problems and personality of 670 Korean high school students were measured with the Youth Self-Report (YSR) and Junior version of the Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI). Stepwise regression analysis analyzed the effects of JTCI character and temperament traits on YSR Total, Internalizing and Externalizing subscale scores, and Profile Analysis examined differences of JTCI personality profiles among three latent YSR subscale profiles acquired from Latent Profile Analysis.ResultsSeven subscales of the JTCI explained 38% of the YSR total degree of behavior problems, and JTCI Novelty-Seeking and Harm-Avoidance were found to account for vulnerability while JTCI Reward-Dependence and Self-Directedness explained resilience to behavior problems. There were three distinct latent YSR profile groups based on nine YSR subscales, and low behavior problem group showed a resilient personality profile characterized by low Novelty-Seeking and Harm-Avoidance and high Reward-Dependence, Persistence, Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness while high behavior problem group exhibited a vulnerable personality profile of the opposite tendency.DiscussionTemperament and character explained behavior problems of Korean high school students as both individual personality traits and a complex personality profile. The results and implications of this study were examined in regard to mental health of adolescents, and the importance of education in the development of mature personality are discussed.

Background: Some studies have shown that Sasang typology is related to specific problem behaviors, but research on the associations between Sasang types and problem behaviors in children is scarce. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between Sasang types and problem behaviors in Korean high school students. Methods: A total of 686 Korean high school students (371 boys and 315 girls) completed the Korean version of Youth Self-Report (YSR) for describing the problem behaviors in adolescents and the Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) for measuring the temperament characteristics of Sasang typology. The correlation between YSR and SPQ subscales was investigated, and the differences of YSR among the high (30%), middle (40%), and low (30%) SPQ total score groups were examined with Analysis of variance. The profile analysis was also performed to compare YSR subscale profiles of three SPQ total score groups. Results: The SPQ total score significantly (p

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to review previous clinical studies on underlying mechanisms of sleep-related type-specific pathophysiological symptoms among the Sasang types.Methods and Procedure: We reviewed seven research databases from December 2003 to August 2015 with the keywords Sasang typology, constitution and sleep. The Sasang type-specific sleep-related symptoms were analyzed based on seven categories, including subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleep medications and daytime dysfunction.Results: Total of twelve studies were included in the analysis. The Tae-Yang type showed low subjective sleep quality, long sleep latency and frequent awakening, and the So-Yang type showed long sleep latency. The Tae-Eum type presented high subjective sleep quality, short sleep duration, frequent snore, toss and turn during the sleep, and insomnia and low frequency of dream. The So-Eum type showed long sleep latency in male and high frequency of dream. The Eum type combining Tae-Eum and So-Eum types had higher subjective sleep quality, longer sleep duration and higher frequency of dream than the Yang type combining Tae-Yang and So-Yang types.Conclusions: This study reviewed type-specific sleep-related characteristics and discussed possible pathophysiological mechanisms involved. Differences in sleep characteristics among the Sasang types might stem from type-specific temperaments and require further study.Key Words: Sasang typology, Sleep, Systematic review, Type-specific pathophysiological symptoms, Systematic review.

Introduction Yin-Yang is a pivotal theory of traditional East-Asian medicine, however it has been undervalued and misunderstood for the lack of a substantial and efficient educational program. The present study was undertaken to develop a module for teaching medical school students the biopsychological features of Yin-Yang using animation characters, and to assess its practicality. Methods Educational module for the Yin-Yang biopsychology using animation characters from “Pororo the Little Penguin” was developed, and was applied for teaching the science to the first grade medical students (n = 39). The module is comprised of two sessions: the first session (40 min) included edited video clips, short phrases of medical classics, and two types of quizzes; the second session (20 min) had a discussion and feedback on student assignments. The degree of satisfaction and difficulty, strength and weakness of the module, adequacy of the allocated time for class, and length of time used for assignment were analyzed. Results The enrolled class showed high scores for ‘understanding of Yin-Yang’ (8.15 ± 1.46), which correlated with ‘increased familiarity with the Yin-Yang theory’ (r = 0.636, p Conclusion The current educational module for the Yin-Yang of traditional East-Asian medicine using animation characters was highly satisfactory with low overall difficulty. We believe that knowledge of traditional East-Asian medicine might easily be introduced using animation to medical professionals, medical students, researchers, and the general public.

Objectives: Medical students suffer from mental health and academic problems due to academic stress. We investigated academic stress and exhaustion along with psychological issues caused by medical education during the years in the School of Korean Medicine. Methods: Two hundred fifty-one university students from the School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, were asked to complete the Medical Stress Scale (MSS), Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS), Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) three times during each semester for two years from 2013 onwards. We analyzed the influence of school te rm and vacation on educational stress and negative affect with the T-test. The Pearson’s correlation analysis and regression analysis were used to predict changes during the first semester or first years of study in the School of Korean Medicine. Results: Academic stress and burnout increased steadily until the first semester of third grade, which was measured with MSS and MBI-SS. The anxiety leve l was highest when the students started the first grade and it decreased significantly after the first semester. Negative affect repeatedly increased sig-nificantly after each school term; however, it reduce d after each vacation. In the first grade, 19.5% of the last measure of MSS can be explained with the first measure of MSS. Discussion: This study extensively reviewed the trends and characteristics of four years of academic stress and its related psychological influence, and discussed its importance for developing a more effi-cient academic curriculum for traditional Korean Medicine. Key Words: Medical Stress Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey, Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule, State and Trait Anxiety Inventory, Korean Medical Education.

Background: Sasang typology is a widely used personalized traditional medicine in clinical diagnosis and treatment in Korea. The aim of this study was to examine the personality construct of the Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) to replicate the previous findings in the adolescent sample. Methods: A total of 543 high school students completed the SPQ and the Korean version of the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI). The relationships between the subscales of JTCI and SPQ were examined using Pearson's correlation. The profile analysis and analysis of variance were used to investigate the difference among high, middle, and low SPQ total score groups. Results: The SPQ and its subscales were significantly correlated with the JTCI subscales. SPQ total score was positively correlated with Novelty Seeking (r = 0.424) and negatively correlated with Harm Avoidance (r = –0.291). The high, middle, and low SPQ total score groups showed significantly different JTCI profile (flatness with Greenhouse–Geisser correction, df = 3.424, F = 443.812, p

Background The current study aimed to examine the temperamental predictors of developmental trajectory subgroups of children's inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity problems through a short-term longitudinal study. Methods Children (n = 1344) were divided into younger (age 6–8 years) and older (age 9–11 years) groups in order to observe changes in inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity problems. Inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity problems were measured three times at 5-month intervals and Cloninger's four temperaments (novelty seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependence, and persistence) were examined on the first occasion only. A cohort sequential design and growth mixture model were used for investigating trajectory subgroups and multiple logistic regression analysis to examine the temperamental predictors. Results Developmental trajectories of inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity showed different subgroupings depending on the age group of children. Temperament (high score on novelty seeking and low score on persistence as well as high score on reward dependence) and gender predicted the likelihood of belonging to high-risk versus low-risk subgroups. Conclusion Suggestions taking into account the predictors of developmental trajectories in inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity problems for future research are discussed along with the limitations of the current study.

Received: July 9, 2014 Revised: July 9, 2014 Accepted: September 10, 2014 Objectives: The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), initially developed by Dr. Cloninger in 1986, has been studied from various perspectives in many countries; however, its application in Korea has been limited due to a lack of information regarding the clinical use of integrative medicine. Methods and Results: A systematic review of previous studies on the theoretical development, structure, and content of temperament and character scales, as well as their stability and variability, is presented. In addition, the distinctive features of TCI as a biopsychosocial model and its clinical application regarding well-being, coherence therapy, and person-centered medicine were systematically reviewed. Discussion and Conclusion: The promotion of well-being with Cloninger’s personality model and its importance for integrative medicine were discussed. This study would contribute to the clinical application of TCI in Korea.

Studies on Relations between Goodness of Fit in Mother-children Temperament Interaction and Problem Behaviors of Children Ha Hyun-yee * ․ Jung HaeRee * ․ Lee Soo Jin ** ․ Chae Han *,$ * Div. of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University** Dept. of Psychotherapy, College of Nursing and Public Health, Kyungil University Objectives The purpose of this study was to identify the importance of goodness of fit in mother-child temperamental interaction (MCTI) and the child problem behaviors. Methods The behavior problem of 180 child outpatients from traditional Korean medical clinic was measured with Korean version of Child Behavior Checklists, and the temperament of child and their mother was measured with Junior Temperament and Character Inventory and Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised-Short. The MCTI was calculated as the difference of the temperament score between mother and child. The correlation and linear regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of temperament on Child Behavior Checklists.

The subjects were consist of 190 outpatients (56.6μ12.9 months) and their mother. The Behavior problems of children were measured with Korean version of Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1.5-5 (K-CBCL1.5-5) while parental perception of child vulnerability, parent overprotection, parenting stress were measured by Child Vulnerability Scale (CVS), Parent Protection Scale (PPS), Korean-Parenting Stress Index-Short Form scale (K-PSI-SF), respectively. Correlation and multiple regression were conducted for the analysis. Results Significant correlations between child total problems score and child vulnerability (r=.272, p

Objectives The goal of the present study was to elucidate the characteristics of behavior problems in Sasang typology with child patients. Methods Subjects consisted of 176 (95 boys, 81 girls) children from 36 months to 83 months were diagnosed by two clinical experts in pediatrics and Sasang medicine. There were 22 So-Yang types, 141 Tae-Eum types, and 13 So-Eum types. The behavior problems were measured with Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and ANOVA (analysis of variance) was used for the analysis. Results There were no significant differences between Sasang types among subject`s age (F(2, 173)

Background Sasang typology is a personalized traditional medicine widely used in clinical diagnosis and treatment in Korea. The aim of this study was to examine the biopsychological personality profiles of traditional Korean Sasang typology in a clinical sample of Korean children. Methods A total of 150 children were classified as one of three traditional Korean Sasang types (19 So-Yang, 118 Tae-Eum, and 13 So-Eum) by two clinical experts in Sasang typology. The childrens' mothers completed the Korean version of the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI). The four temperament dimensions of JTCI were compared between the different Sasang types using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and profile analysis. Results There were no significant differences in age, gender, and parents' education levels across the Sasang types. The JTCI temperament profile for each of the child Sasang types was significantly different (profile analysis, df=5.315, F =2.508, p =0.027). There were significant differences in novelty-seeking ( F =3.850, p =0.023) and novelty-seeking subscales, but not with other temperament dimensions. Conclusion These results demonstrated distinct temperament traits associated with traditional Korean Sasang types in children using an objective biopsychological personality inventory. With further investigation into the biopsychological profiles of the children, the longitudinal stability of the Sasang typology can be examined.

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychological structure of Yin-Yang based on the Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) in relation to Carver and White’s Behavior Inhibition/Behavior Activation System (BIS/BAS) Scale and Cloninger’s temperament model of the West.Methods. A total of 188 university students were classified as high (30%), middle (40%), and low (30%) groups based on their SPQ score and their differences in Cloninger’s temperaments and BIS/BAS subscales were analyzed using analysis of covariance after controlling the sex. Correlation among SPQ, Cloninger’s four temperaments and BIS/BAS subscales was also examined.Results. Significant differences in BAS (F= 11.703,p< .001), Novelty-Seeking (F= 4.945,p< .01), and Harm-Avoidance (F= 10.912,p< .001) were observed between high and low SPQ score groups after controlling for sex. The SPQ showed significant correlation with BAS (r= 0.303), Novelty-Seeking (r= 0.225), and Harm-Avoidance (r= − 0.273). However, BIS showed no significant differences between SPQ groups, and did not show correlation with the SPQ.Discussion. The current study demonstrated that Yin-Yang has similarities with and disparities from the Western tradition and may be examined with objective instruments. We showed that the emotionality of the East which is defined as mobility of emotion, not emotional instability as traditionally defined in Western theories, is pivotal for understanding the nature of emotion in the East. Suggestions are made for cross-cultural psychobiological study of the East and West.

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to validate the Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), based on the diagnosis of Sasang constitutional medicine clinical specialist.

Validation of Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) with Posit ive and Negative Affection Schedule and Body Mass Index Han Chae*, Soo-Jin Lee**, Soo-Hyun Park***, Eun-Su Jang****, Si-Woo Lee**** * Div. of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University** Dept. of Psychotherapy, Kyungil University*** Dept. of Occupational therapy, Yonsei University**** Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine 1. Objectives The purpose of this study was to validate the Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) with Positive And Negative Affection Schedule(PANAS) for emotionality and Body Mass Index (BMI) for body constituents. 2. Methods The SPQ along with Questionnaire for Sasang Constitution Classification (QSCC) II, PANAS, BMI was measured with 232 College students. The correlation coefficient was measured with Pearson correlation between SPQ and PANAS, BMI. The SPQ, PANAS, and BMI score of each Sasang constitution groups based on QSCCII were compared using analysis of variance and profile analysis.

ObjectivesThe Yin-Yang represents two opposing and complementary traits of nature such as introvert-extrovert and passive-active, and has been primary framework of medicine for thousands of years in the East. The purpose of this study was to examine the problem behaviors of the middle school students, which is a major social and psychopathological issue in Korea, from the Yin-Yang temperaments.MethodsSubjects of 670 middle school students (365 boys and 305 girls) finished Korean version of youth self-report (YSR) for describing the problem behaviors and Sasang personality questionnaire (SPQ) for measuring Yin-Yang temperament. The high (30%) and low (30%) SPQ score groups were shown to represent Yin and Yang temperament groups with acceptable reliability and validity. We examined the correlation between YSR and SPQ, and YSR subscale differences between high and low SPQ score groups.ResultsThe SPQ significantly (P < 0.01) correlated positively with YSR externalizing problem (r = 0.148, r = 0.182) and negatively with YSR Internalizing Problem (r = −0.212, r = −0.177) in boys and girls, respectively. The Yang temperament group (8.42 ± 6.24, 8.36 ± 6.59) is significantly (P < 0.01) higher than Yin group (6.17 ± 4.82, 5.83 ± 5.32) in Externalizing Problem, and the Yin temperament group (9.55 ± 7.72, 11.38 ± 8.18) is significantly (P < 0.01) higher than Yang group (6.01 ± 5.95, 8.28 ± 7.49) in Internalizing Problem with boys and girls, respectively.ConclusionThese results showed that the Yin-Yang temperament of traditional eastern medicine might be clinically useful for screening psychopathological problems in adolescents. Implications and suggestions for cross-cultural psychological study of the East and West are also suggested.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

ObjectivesPersonality was shown to play an important role for well being under academic stress. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate how temperament and character traits predict academic burnout in Korean medical students.MethodsOne hundred and seventy-eight Korean medical students completed the Cloninger's temperament and character inventory (TCI) at the beginning of semester and Maslach burnout inventory-student survey (MBI-SS) was also measured around the final exam when academic stress and burnout is at the highest. The correlation between TCI and MBI-SS was examined and stepwise regression analysis was performed to measure how well personality traits predict academic burnout level.ResultsThe MBI-SS total burnout score was correlated positively with harm-avoidance (r = 0.247, P < 0.05) and negatively with self-directedness (r = -0.296, P < 0.001) and Cooperativeness (r = -0.169, P < 0.05) scores. The regression analysis showed that the harm-avoidance (β = 0.269, P < 0.001) accounted for exhaustion score and the self-directedness explained the Total burnout score (β = -0.296, P < 0.001) and Inefficacy score (β = -0.284, P < 0.001). The Cynicism score was accounted for high Novelty-Seeking (β = 0.150, P < 0.05) and low Cooperativeness (β = -0.182, P < 0.05).ConclusionThis study showed that the Cloninger's temperament and character might explain the burnout level from the stressful medical education. The temperament of novelty-seeking and harm-avoidance could provide the susceptibility to the academic burnout and the character of self-directedness and cooperativeness might determine the resilience to the negative influence of academic stress.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Background and objective The personality profiles of patients with eating disorder have been extensively investigated, but those of people in the general population with eating behavior problems need to be evaluated to assess the relationship between personality, health behavior and level of overall well-being in non-clinical samples. Design Temperament and character traits, reasons for over-eating, and the negative influence of functional dyspepsia on quality of life were measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ), and Functional Dyspepsia Quality of Life (FDQOL) inventory, respectively, in 199 Korean medical students. The associations among TCI, FDQOL, DEBQ and body mass index (BMI) were examined by correlational analysis. Multiple regression analysis was carried out to measure how well personality (TCI) accounted for patterns of overeating (DEBQ) and impaired quality of life from functional dyspepsia (FDQOL). Results Individual differences in personality (especially harm-avoidance, self-transcendence, and self-directedness) were weakly associated with overeating and impaired quality of life from functional dyspepsia. Gender, social desirability and body mass index also played important roles in predicting eating behavior problems in the nonclinical population. Discussion and conclusion We found that the personality traits observed in clinical patients with eating disorders are also found in people with eating behavior problems in the nonclinical population of Korea. The ways that personality traits affect eating behaviors were discussed along with recommendations for future studies in light of the limitations of available data.

The purpose of this study was to validate the Sasang Digestive function Inventory (SDFI) and Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) which measures the pathophysiolgoical symptoms and temperament of each Sasang types. The SDFI, SPQ along with Questionnaire for Sasang Constitution Classification II (QSCCII) were measured with 191 College students. The correlation coefficient was measured with Pearson correlation between SDFI and SPQ. The SDFI and SPQ subscale score of each Sasang constitution groups based on QSCCII were compared using analysis of variance and profile analysis. The SDFI and SPQ total score of So-Eum Sasang type were significantly (p 0.05) between SDFI and SPQ total score, however the SDFI-Digestion scale showed significant correlation with SPQ subscales. We found that the SDFI and SPQ can measure the Sasang type-specific pathophysiological symptoms and temperaments, and it would be useful for the clinical application and interdisciplinary research when combined together. 

Purpose.Parents have important roles in child rearing, but the influence of their personality on rearing practices and their impact on the behavior of children has received surprisingly little attention. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between parents’ personality and children’s problem behaviors.Materials and Methods.Participants consisted of 190 preschool outpatients (104 boys, 86 girls) and their parents who visited traditional Korean pediatric clinics with minor physical symptoms as chief complaints. The personality profiles of the both parents were measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory and children’s behavior problems by the Child Behavior Checklist 1.5–5. Correlation and stepwise regression analysis were employed for the statistical analyses.Results.The temperament trait of Harm Avoidance and the character traits of Self-Directedness and Self-Transcendence of the parents were significantly correlated with children’s problem behaviors. Character as well as temperament, played an important role in explaining children’s problem behaviors after age and gender of children were taken into account.Conclusion.The maturity of parents’ character appears to have a key role in reducing the risk of behavior problems in their children. Suggestions are made for parental education and future research.

The purpose of this study was to examine the biopsychological personality profiles of traditional KoreanSasangtypology based on the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in a Korean adult clinical sample. A total of 97 adults completed the Korean version of the TCI. The participants were classified as one of three traditional KoreanSasangtypes (31 So-Yang, 41 Tae-Eum, 25 So-Eum) by three specialists inSasangtypology. The seven dimensions of TCI were compared between the differentSasangtypes using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and profile analysis. There were no significant differences in age, gender and education across theSasangtypes. The TCI profile for each of theSasangtypes was significantly different (profile analysis, df = 5.038,F= 3.546,P= .004). There were significant differences in the temperament dimensions of Novelty Seeking (F= 3.43,P= .036) and Harm Avoidance (F= 5.43,P= .006) among theSasangtypes. The Novelty Seeking score of the So-Yang type (31.90 ± 9.87) was higher than that of the So-Eum type (25.24 ± 9.21;P= .019) while the So-Eum type (44.64 ± 8.47) scored higher on the Harm Avoidance score compared to the So-Yang type (35.16 ± 11.50;P= .003). There were no significant differences in the temperament dimension of Reward Dependence and Persistence, and the three character dimensions of Self-Directedness, Cooperativeness and Self-Transcendence. Results demonstrated distinct temperament traits associated with traditional KoreanSasangtypes using an objective biopsychological personality inventory. With further study, theSasangtypology may lead to enhanced clinical safety and efficacy as part of personalized medicine with traditional medicine.

Objectives There have been lots of psychological studies on the difference between the West and East; however, it was mainly focused on the cultural and social outlook rather than the personality perspective of the individuals. The difference in personality construct between the West and East needs to be examined with objective and validated instruments. Methods We used Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI) along with Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ). SPQ measures the psychological traits with three subscales of behavior (SPQ-B), cognition (SPQ-C) and emotionality (SPQ-E) based on the Yin-Yang and traditional Korean medicine. We analyzed the correlation between TCI, NEO-PI and SPQ with 104 college students in Korea (age, 28.8±4.8; male/female, 52/52). Results The personality structure of SPQ showed distinctive features with emotionality (SPQ-E) which generally perceived as concurrent with behavior and cognition. SPQ-B/SPQ-C were correlated negatively with TCI Harm-Avoidance (r=-0.542 and -0.387) and NEO-PI Neuroticism (r=-0.285 and -0.340), however SPQ-E positively with Harm-Avoidance (r=0.283) and NEO-PI Neuroticism (r=0.398). In addition, SPQ-B/SPQ-C were correlated positively with TCI Novelty-Seeking (r=0.355 and 0.369) and NEO-PI Extraversion (r=0.67, 0.283), but SPQ-E not significant with them. Conclusion The disparities in personality construct might be originated from difference in the definition of emotionality; the West accentuates the emotional stability, however the East emphasizes the level of emotional activity. We discussed the implication of these from the cross-cultural personality studies.

IntroductionA systematic review of studies related to the psychological characteristics of Sasang typology, a traditional Korean personalized medicine utilizing acupuncture and medical herbs, was conducted with the goal of delineating generalizable psychological profiles of each types using western academic traditions.MethodsJournal articles were collected using 5 electronic database systems in the United States and Korea, and 21 peer reviewed research articles with psychometric inventories were included. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies, the present study sought to report the mutual relevance of the studies based on research results pertaining to the correlation between psychological assessment instruments.ResultsResults of the review indicate that two super-factors of Eysenck, Extraversion and Neuroticism, serve as the foundation in regards to delineating personality constructs, such that the So-Yang type scored high on the Extraversion dimension and low on the Neuroticism dimension compared to the So-Eum type. Current studies with Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory also showed that the Novelty Seeking and the Harm Avoidance can be related to the So-Yang and the So-Eum type, respectively.ConclusionsThe present systematic review indicates that Neo-Confucianism-based Sasang typology shares similarities with the western psychological tradition. There is an urgent need to study similarities and differences between both of them in multiple perspectives including mechanism of action beneath the medical intervention. The Bio-psycho-social basis of the Sasang typology can guide us to the temperament-based personalized integrative medicine covering western orthodox and traditional oriental medicine.

Introduction: We examined the best-fit index for describing the constitutional or physical characteristics of Sasang typology for its universal application. Methods: Ponderal index (PI), body mass index (BMI), and basal metabolic rate (BMR) of the nationwide participants (n = 1663; age, 31–60 years) were calculated. We described and analyzed the usefulness of each index for maximizing the differences between Sasang types across age and sex using box plots, Pearson's correlation, and analysis of variance. Results: We found that the So-Eum, So-Yang, and Tae-Eum Sasang types were significantly (p