[Quantitative research on operation behavior of acupuncture manipulation]

Area of Science:

• Integrative and Complementary Medicine
• Acupuncture Research
• Quantitative Behavior Analysis

Background:

• Objective evaluation of acupuncture manipulation is crucial for training and quality control.
• Existing methods may not adequately capture the nuances of skilled acupuncture practice.
• Understanding professional behavior features can inform best practices and skill development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a scale for the quantitative assessment of acupuncture manipulation behavior.
• To identify and analyze the distinct behavioral characteristics of professional acupuncturists.

Main Methods:

• Development of the 'Scales for Operation Behavior of Acupuncture Basic Manipulation' based on established techniques.
• Validation of the scale using the Delphi method.
• Assessment of operation behavior by two independent raters across 12 professional acupuncturists and 12 novices, calculating inter-rater reliability and comparing group scores.

Main Results:

• The developed scale demonstrated satisfactory validity and good inter-rater reliability (0.768).
• Professional acupuncturists achieved significantly higher total operation behavior scores than novices (P < 0.01).
• Significant differences favoring professionals were observed in needle insertion and needle manipulation scores (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively), but not in sterilization or needle withdrawal.

Conclusions:

• The validated scale is suitable for the quantitative evaluation of acupuncture manipulation behavior.
• Key behavioral features of professional acupuncture manipulation include superior difficulty, coordination, and accuracy in needle insertion and manipulation.
• The findings provide an objective basis for assessing and training acupuncture skills.