BCQ+: A Body Constitution Questionnaire to Assess Yang-Xu

Abstract

Introduction: Assessing an individual’s level of Yang deficiency (Yang-Xu) by its manifestations is a frequent issue in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinical trials. To this end, an objective, reliable and rigorous diagnostic tool is required. This study aimed to develop a first final version of the Yang-Xu Constitution Questionnaire. Methods: We conducted 3 steps to develop such an objective measurement tool: 1) the research team was formed and a panel of 26 experts was selected for the Delphi process; 2) items for the questionnaire were generated by literature review and a Delphi process; items were reworded into colloquial questions; face and content validity of the items were evaluated through a Delphi process again; 3) the difficulty of the questionnaire was evaluated in a pilot study with 81 subjects aged 20–60 years. Results: The literature review retrieved 35 relevant items which matched the definition of ‘constitution’ and ‘Yang-Xu’. After a first Delphi process, 22 items were retained and translated into colloquial questions. According to the second part of the Delphi process, the content validity index of each of the 22 questions ranged between 0.85–1. These 22 questions were evaluated by 81 subjects, 2 questions that were hard to tell the difference were combined; 3 questions were modified after the research team had discussed the participants’ feedback. Finally, the questionnaire was established with 21 questions. Conclusions: This first final version of a questionnaire to assess Yang-Xu constitution with considerable face and content validity may serve as a basis to develop an advanced Yang-Xu questionnaire.

Reduced Health‐Related Quality of Life in Body Constitutions of Yin‐Xu, and Yang‐Xu, Stasis in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Taichung Diabetic Body Constitution Study

“…All r values of subscales of Yang-Xu body constitution questionnaire (BCQ+), Yin-Xu body constitution questionnaire (BCQ−), and Stasis body constitution questionnaire (BCQs) were 0.84 [14, 16, 17]. The content validity of the items of BCQ was evaluated through a Delphi process with a CVI value of ≥0.7 [13, 15]. Construct validity was assessed by exploratory factor analyses (EFA).…”

“…Yang-Xu (Yang deficiency) constitution implies a diminishing energy level in the physiological functioning of the body, and individuals may experience symptoms (e.g., fatigue, shortness of breath, chills, loose stool, and a large volume of urine) [15, 16]. Stasis constitution implies that individuals' dynamic interaction between Yin and Yang is decelerated and less efficient.…”

Constitutional Study of Parkinson's Disease Patients Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine Pattern Differentiation

“…The questionnaire used was the 44-item Traditional Chinese Medical Constitutional Scale and Classification (TCM-CSC, Chinese version, 中醫體質及分型量表), which was developed by Lin and colleagues [8,9,10,11,12] from Taiwan, to identify four constitutions: type A: the balanced constitution (平和質); type B: the yang-deficiency constitution (陽虛質); type C: the yin-deficiency constitution (陰血虛質), and type D: the stasis constitution (瘀滯質).…”

“…The questionnaire comprises a total of 44 questions, of which 19 are related to type B, 19 to type C and 16 to type D. For the type B questions, a total score of ≥30.5 indicates that the person is of the yang-deficiency constitution [8,9]. For the type C questions, a total score of ≥29.5 indicates that the person is of the yin-deficiency constitution [10,11].…”

BCQ–: A Body Constitution Questionnaire to Assess Yin-Xu

“…Within the Body Constitution Questionnaire (BCQ) we have developed specific questionnaires to embrace each body constitution. BCQ+, designed to assess Yang-Xu, contains 5 domains which correspond with the latent structure of the Yang-Xu constitution [1,2 ]. BCQs, designed to assess Stasis, has also been developed and validated [3 ].…”