Abstract
Objectives: Tinnitus Disability Index (TDI) is presented as a novel and brief self-report measure for the assessment of the interference of tinnitus with performance in specific daily life activities. We hypothesized that the TDI is a reliable and valid measure and that tinnitus disability is strongly associated with tinnitus severity, subjective tinnitus intensity ratings, and ratings of general health.
Design: Six hundred fifteen tinnitus patients from across the Netherlands completed online a number of questionnaires about their tinnitus, their general health, and demographics. Two samples were extracted by a random split: Sample I (N = 311) for exploratory factor analysis and Sample II (N = 304) for confirmatory analysis, using structural equation modeling. One hundred forty-three of the first included respondents repeated assessment after a 2-wk time interval for test/retest analysis. Regression analyses were employed to investigate construct validity.
Results: Present analyses reveal that tinnitus disability, as measured with the TDI, might be best understood as a single-component construct, that is, one single underlying factor. The TDI is reliable over time, and tinnitus-related disability, as measured with the TDI, is strongly associated with subjective ratings of tinnitus intensity, negatively associated with quality of life ratings, and distress due to tinnitus.
Conclusions: The TDI is a brief and easily administered index measuring a unique construct, namely the experienced interference of the tinnitus with daily life activities, which is invaluable in the assessment and treatment of tinnitus patients.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 623-633 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Ear and Hearing |
Volume | 32 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2011 |
Keywords
- QUALITY-OF-LIFE
- LOW-BACK-PAIN
- FEAR-AVOIDANCE
- MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN
- HANDICAP INVENTORY
- HEALTH-SURVEY
- QUESTIONNAIRE
- DISTRESS
- INTERNET
- VALIDITY