Dispositional Predictors of Complementary Medicine and Vitamin Use in Students

Abstract

The Rational-Experiential Inventory (REI) and Tellegen Absorption questionnaire were completed by 131 undergraduate students who also completed a scale measuring complementary medicine use (with separate entries for practitioner and self-delivered use) and vitamin/mineral use. Less rationality and greater absorption predicted greater use of practitioner-delivered and self-delivered complementary medicine, and vitamin/mineral use. Logistic regression showed that rationality and absorption were independent predictors of these behaviours. In addition to confirming previous research, this is the first demonstration that complementary medicine and vitamin/mineral use are predicted by the same variables, including less rationality.