Validation of the Korean Version of the Acupuncture Expectancy Scale

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Expectancy has been shown to affect patients' responses to acupuncture therapy. However, no validated measure of expectancy for acupuncture is available in the Korean language. The Acupuncture Expectancy Scale (AES), a 4-item self-reporting questionnaire, is the validated instrument for measuring expectancies regarding acupuncture therapy. We translated the AES into Korean and examined its test-retest reliability and construct validity. METHODS: The AES was translated using a forward and backward translation procedure. Internal consistency was assessed in 275 participants with item-total correlations. Construct validity was also assessed by performing principal component analysis and correlating scores on the scale with the participants' intention to receive acupuncture therapy. Test-retest reliability was assessed in 33 participants by calculating Cronbach's α and Spearman rank correlation coefficients. RESULTS: Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's α=0.910). Principal component analysis showed that expectancy of acupuncture treatment accounted for 79.2% of the variance. The AES was positively correlated with participants' intention to receive acupuncture treatment (r=0.695, p<0.001). Test-retest reliability in 33 of the 275 participants was adequate, with the Spearman rank correlation coefficient ranging from 0.500 to 0.737 (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The Korean version of the AES is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring patients' expectancies regarding acupuncture treatment in the Korean population.