Evidence has demonstrated that spinal manipulative therapy reduces shortness of breath in childhood asthma. This statement represents:

Evidence has demonstrated that spinal manipulative therapy reduces shortness of breath in childhood asthma. This statement represents:

• A. a hypothesis
• B. a principle
• C. a theory
• D. divine law

Answer: (B)

In practice, a principle is a general guideline derived from evidence that guides how clinicians think about and apply a treatment. The statement about evidence showing spinal manipulative therapy reducing shortness of breath in childhood asthma provides a supported guideline for what clinicians might expect from this therapy, based on observed results. It isn’t merely a testable guess awaiting confirmation (that would be a hypothesis), nor is it a broad, well-substantiated explanatory framework of many related phenomena (that would be a theory). It also isn’t a universal, invariant description of nature (that would be a law). Because it reflects an evidence-backed guideline used to inform care, it fits best as a principle.

In practice, a principle is a general guideline derived from evidence that guides how clinicians think about and apply a treatment. The statement about evidence showing spinal manipulative therapy reducing shortness of breath in childhood asthma provides a supported guideline for what clinicians might expect from this therapy, based on observed results. It isn’t merely a testable guess awaiting confirmation (that would be a hypothesis), nor is it a broad, well-substantiated explanatory framework of many related phenomena (that would be a theory). It also isn’t a universal, invariant description of nature (that would be a law). Because it reflects an evidence-backed guideline used to inform care, it fits best as a principle.