Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Tinnitus Acceptance Questionnaire and Its Correlation with Psychoacoustic Parameters in Patients with Chronic Subjective Tinnitus

Nastaran  Nayeri; Saeid  Farahani; Farzaneh  Fatahi; Elham  Faghihzadeh

doi:10.18502/avr.v34i2.18053

Nastaran Nayeri Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Saeid Farahani Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Farzaneh Fatahi Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Elham Faghihzadeh Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/avr.v34i2.18053

Abstract

Background and Aim: Acceptance of tinnitus may influence the perceived intensity and the distress it causes. The Tinnitus Acceptance Questionnaire (TAQ) is a useful tool for assessing tinnitus acceptance. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the TAQ (P-TAQ) and determine the correlation of its scores with psychoacoustic measures in patients with chronic tinnitus.

Methods: After translation and confirming face validity, 85 patients with chronic tinnitus completed the P-TAQ, along with the Persian versions of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). To determine the reliability, the P-TAQ was completed by 30 patients after two weeks. Psychoacoustic parameters including pitch matching, loudness matching, and Minimum Masking Level (MML) were measured for all patients.

Results: The P-TAQ had high face validity. The internal consistency was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha (α=0.92). The interclass correlation coefficient (0.994) confirmed reliability. A strong negative correlation was found between the total P-TAQ score and total THI score (p<0.001, r=–0.788), and the scores of the HADS subscales of anxiety (p<0.001, r=–0.623) and depression (p<0.001, r=–0.728). The total P-TAQ score showed a weak negative correlation with tinnitus loudness (p=0.003, r=–0.322) and PTA of both ears (r=– 0.223, p=0.040). There was no significant correlation between the total P-TAQ score and the factors of age, tinnitus duration, tinnitus pitch, or MML.

Conclusion: The P-TAQ has excellent validity and reliability. Therefore, it can be used to assess tinnitus acceptance among Persian-speaking patients with chronic tinnitus.

Keywords: Acceptance; tinnitus; tinnitus annoyance; tinnitus acceptance questionnaire