The Psychometric Properties of Two Measures of Tinnitus Complaint and Handicap

We describe two studies that examined the psychometric properties of the Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaire (THQ) and Tinnitus Effects Questionnaire (TEQ) with an Australian sample of tinnitus patients. The results indicated that both the THQ and the TEQ have good test-retest reliability and internal consistency. The factorial structure of the THQ is well captured by a three-factor solution. Its major constituents are (1) Emotional, social, and physical effects of tinnitus; (2) hearing acuity and communication; and (3) appraisal of tinnitus. This factorial structure is similar to the one reported previously for a sample of tinnitus patients in the United States. Overall, the results obtained with the TEQ yielded findings similar to the work conducted on this measure in the United Kingdom and Germany. Correlations among the THQ, TEQ, and the Tinnitus Reaction Questionnaire (TRQ), and a selection of other psychological and psychoacoustic measures are reported. It would appear that the THQ, TEQ, and TRQ tend to measure a number of different dimensions of response to tinnitus. All three scales are likely to be far superior to simple visual analog scales, which presently are not understood well in terms of psychometric properties.