Validation of the Greek Version of Tinnitus Handicap Inventory

Introduction:Tinnitus can have a significant effect on an individual’s quality of life, and is very difficult quantify. One of the most popular questionnaires used in this area is the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of a Persian translation of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI-P). Materials and Methods: This prospective clinical study was performed in the Otolaryngology Department of Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. A total of 102 patients aged 23–80 years with tinnitus completed the (THI-P). The patients were instructed to complete the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Audiometry was performed. Eight-five patients were asked to complete the THI-P for a second time 7–10 days after the initial interview. We assessed test–retest reliability and internal reliability of the THI-P. Validity was assessed by analyzing the THI-P of patients according to their age, tinnitus duration and psychological distress (BDI and STAI). A factor analysis was computed to verify if three subscales (functional, emotional, and catastrophic) represented three distinct variables. Results: Test–retest correlation coefficient scores were highly significant. The THI-P and its subscales showed good internal consistency reliability (α = 0.80 to 0.96). High-to-moderate correlations were observed between THI-P and psychological distress and tinnitus symptom ratings. A confirmatory factor analysis failed to validate the three subscales of THI, and high intercorrelations found between the subscales question whether they represent three distinct factors. Conclusion: The results suggest that the THI-P is a reliable and valid tool which can be used in a clinical setting to quantify the impact of tinnitus on the quality of life of Iranian patients. Keywords: Anxiety, Depression, Questionnaires, Reproducibility of results, Tinnitus, Psychometrics

Clinical Otolaryngology, 2015

Participants: Three hundred and one participants have anonymously completed the Mini-TQ-GR, comparing it to the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS 14) and Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (MΗLoC) from November 2013 until May 2014. Main outcome measure: Mini-TQ-GR, compared to PSS 14 and MΗLoC. Results: Factor analysis, has shown that the Mini-TQ-GR includes three main factors (Distress, Health preoccupation and Depression), which explains the 59.05% of the total variance. The Cronbach alpha index was 0.865 approaching the respective reliability factor of the original validation (0.9). The test-retest correlation (intraclass correlation coefficient) was 0.9 (P < 0.01), close to the results of the original study (0.89). We found a positive correlation between tinnitus and perceived stress (r = 0.349**) and negative correlation between tinnitus and external locus of control (r = À0.124*, r = À0.198**) (chance, others). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the Mini-TQ-GR has good internal consistency and reliability becoming a useful, validated measurement tool for tinnitus-induced distress.

2017

Background and Aim : Self-administered questionnaires are clinically important to document how tinnitus affects the daily life of patients. In this regard, there is a need to have an alternative questionnaire that covers relevant aspects of tinnitus and related symptoms. The present study aimed to develop and validate a new tinnitus questionnaire known as Tinnitus Handicap Que­stionnaire or Borang Evaluasi Soal selidik Tinitus (BEST) in Malay version. Methods : The present study had two consecutive phases. In phase 1 of study, BEST que­stionnaire was initially developed in English and underwent forward and backward transla­tion processes. Following relevant amendments, the final version of BEST (Malay version) was ready for subsequent tasks. It consists of 25 items categorized under 3M domain (mind, main and mental). In phase 2, 65 patients with tinnitus were recruited for determining the validity and reliability of BEST. Results : Content validity index (CVI) of BEST ranged from 0....

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 2012

Background: Tinnitus research in an international context requires standardized and validated questionnaires in different languages. The aim of the present set of analyses was the reassessment of basic psychometric properties according to classical test theory of self-report instruments that are being used within the multicentre Tinnitus Research Initiative (TRI) database project.

ENT Updates, 2020

Objective: To investigate the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Mini-Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ 12-T). Methods: The study consisted of 120 patients with tinnitus (60 F + 60 M; Mean Age: 46.8±15.1 years). Audiological evaluation, tinnitus mapping, tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) and TQ 12-T were applied to the participants. Internal consistency and reliability were assessed by Cronbach's alpha. To evaluate the accuracy of the original findings, a retest was performed with 20% of the participants. The validity of the TQ 12-T was assessed, analyzing the correlation with THI. We assessed construct validity by analyzing the patients according to their age and tinnitus duration. Results: High internal consistency, reliability (α=0.87) and a high intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC 0.96, p < 0.001) were found. The internal consistency reliabilities of the two subscales were α=0.74 and α= 0.84 for "health anxiety" and "cognitive distress," respectively. There was a strong positive correlation between THI and TQ 12-T total scores (r=0.985, p<0.01). Conclusion: TQ 12-T is a valid, reliable and brief questionnaire. TQ 12-T could easily be used alongside other tinnitus or health-related questionnaires since it takes only a few minutes to complete.

Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 2020

The original 52-item version of the Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ) is a widely applied self-report instrument to measure tinnitus-related distress. One objective of the current study was the validation of the reported five-factor structure of the German TQ in a new, large sample of patients with chronic tinnitus. Since former studies have yielded conflicting results for the factor structure of the 12-item short version (Mini-TQ), analysis of its factor structure and the generation of a new short version were further study aims. Methods: Data of 7112 subsequent patients with chronic tinnitus that filled out the German 52-item version of the TQ at the Tinnitus Center at Charité University Hospital Berlin, Germany, were included in the study. Statistical analyses included exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: CFA showed reasonably acceptable fit indices for a five-factor model for the 52-item version of the TQ, at least for RMSEA, one of the three fit indices (RMSEA = 0.059; CFI = 0.871; TLI = 0.861). Factors were called emotional distress, auditory perceptual difficulties, intrusiveness, sleep disturbances, and coping. Another CFA supports a three-factor model of the newly generated 15-item short version (RMSEA = 0.060; CFI = 0.942; TLI = 0.931) with the factors emotional distress, auditory perceptual difficulties, and intrusiveness. Conclusion: Validation of the German 52-item version of the TQ in a large, new sample of patients with chronic tinnitus supports the previously reported five-factor structure with slight differences concerning the identified factors. The new three-factorial 15-item short version allows a more rapid and economical assessment of tinnitus-related distress.

Scandinavian Audiology, 2000

The objective of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of a Danish translation of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), a self-report measure of perceived tinnitus handicap. The Danish version of the THI was administered to 50 patients reporting tinnitus as their primary complaint or secondary to hearing loss. Construct validity was assessed using tinnitus symptom rating scales, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Tinnitus Coping Style Questionnaire (TCSQ), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), and perceived tinnitus loudness and pitch. The Danish translation of the THI and its subscales showed good internal consistency reliabilities (a = 0.93 to a = 0.74) comparable to those of the original version. High to moderate correlations were observed between THI and psychological distress, tinnitus symptom ratings, neuroticism and maladaptive tinnitus coping. A confirmatory factor analysis failed to validate the three subscales of THI, and high intercorrelations found between the subscales question whether they represent three distinct factors. The results suggest that the Danish THI-Total scale may be a reliable and valid measure of general tinnitus related distress that can be used in a clinical setting to quantify the impact of tinnitus on daily living.

Auditory and Vestibular Research, 2020

Background and Aim: Tinnitus can affect daily life. The evaluation of the affected aspects of life quality is highly dependent on the sub­jects’perception. Self-report questionnaires have been used to identify these affected aspects. In the present study, the relationship between the Persian versions of tinnitus functional index (TFI-P) and tinnitus handicap inventory (THI-P) was investigated. Methods: This is a comparative cross-sectional study conducted on 28 hearing-impaired and 27 normal hearing subjects with tinnitus in aged 18−60 years selected according to the inclusion criteria. Both groups completed the TFI-P and THI-P. Results: There was a significant and relatively strong relationship between the total scores of THI-P and TFI-P (r = 0.65) and also between the emotional subscale of TFI-P and the cata­strophic subscale of THI-P (r = 0.73). More­over, there was a moderate relationship between age factor and total score of TFI-P (r = −0.32), and between the cognitive subscale...

American Journal of Audiology, 2014

Purpose To create a questionnaire focused on the primary activities impaired by tinnitus and therefore more sensitive to treatments. Method Questions were developed on (a) emotions, (b) hearing, (c) sleep, and (d) concentration. A 20-item questionnaire was administered to 158 patients. First, confirmatory factor analysis was used to select 3 questions per domain. Second, factor analysis was used to evaluate the appropriateness of the 12-item questionnaire. Results The analysis indicated that the selected questions successfully represented 4 independent domains. Scores were correlated with the Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaire ( r = .77, p &lt; .01) and loudness ( r = .40, p &lt; .01). The Sleep subscale correlated with the Pittsburgh Sleep Index ( r = .68, p &lt; .01); the Emotion subscale correlated with the Beck Inventory ( r = .66, p &lt; .01) and the Trait Anxiety questionnaire ( r = .67, p &lt; .01). The average scores went from 51% to 38% following treatment. Conclusion The Tinn...

Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 1998

This study assessed the test-retest reliability/repeatability and 95 percent confidence intervals (CIs) of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and developed categories for classifying self-perceived tinnitus handicap severity. Twenty-nine adults with tinnitus as their primary auditory complaint served as subjects. The THI was administered on two occasions (mean interval 20 days) using a paper-pencil format. Results support the contention that the THI is psychometrically robust. Specifically, the test-retest reliability/repeatability was high. Additionally, the 95 percent CI for the THI was 20-points, indicating that a 20-point or greater change had to occur from test to retest for a change to be considered statistically significant at the 5 percent confidence level. Quartiles calculated from raw scores were used to create a matrix of values representing tinnitus severity. We conclude that the THI is a brief, easily administered, and psychometrically robust measure that evaluates t...