We used the Delphi method, which is an objective process that gathers consensus opinion from a panel of experts through an iterative questionnaire process interspersed with controlled opinion feedback [ 9].
A survey-based method of consensus building, the Delphi technique is based on fundamental principles of purposive sampling of experts in the field of interest, panellist anonymity, iterative questionnaire presentation, and feedback of statistical analysis [ 41, 42, 47- 49].
Piloting was iterative; revised questionnaires were piloted, revised again, and re-piloted to eliminate poorly worded or ambiguous questions.
Hence, this paper emphasizes patient-involvement in the iterative process of questionnaire refinement to ensure that the items included on the final questionnaire were appropriate, comprehensive, and well-understood by our target population of individuals using CAM and other mind-body therapies (Phase 2).
The third phase, developmental methods, involves iterative rounds of questionnaire evaluation through participant interviews as the main approach for discovering problems with questionnaires.
The Delphi method consists of an iterative set of questionnaire surveys, interspersed with feedback from earlier response rounds.
Using feedback from patients as part of an iterative process of questionnaire improvement is an important stage in the validation process.
Data collected from the cognitive interviews were analyzed in two stages: Stage One was part of the iterative process of questionnaire development in which participants' responses were assessed after each cognitive interview for indications of consensus or problems with regard to the cognitive interview questions above.
This was achieved using an iterative process combining ordinary questionnaire data with interview data.
The final document was developed through an iterative series of comments and questionnaires with a majority vote required to place an element in a specific category.
