Determinants of self-reported disability in older subjects

The effects of hearing threshold levels, age, personality, and IQ on indices of self-reported disability/handicap derived from the Hearing Performance Inventory and the Institute of Hearing Research Hearing Disability Questionnaire have been investigated in a sample of 240 individuals with bilateral, symmetric sensorineural hearing, which was efficiently balanced across hearing threshold level and age. The results show significant effects of age, IQ, and, in particular, personality on many aspects of reported disability/handicap, with different relative contributions for females and males. It is possible to account for between 42 and 50% of the variance in most of the disability/handicap indices. Around 5% is accounted for by age and between 12 and 22% by aspects of personality. These findings suggest that the effects of age, IQ, and personality should be considered and incorporated into any practical application using self-assessment instruments.