Development and Validation of a Shortened Severity Measurement Tool for Tinnitus

There is a need to develop and validate a brief questionnaire to measure tinnitus severity that can meet the needs of clinicians and researchers. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the validity and reliability of the 9-item Tinnitus Severity Short Form (TS-SF).

A cohort study of online survey respondents recruited in October 2020 from the American Tinnitus Association electronic mailing list with a 2-week follow-up time interval.

Online.

Face and content validity, factor analysis, internal consistency, convergent validity, reliability, and minimal clinically important difference (MCID) were analyzed.

Of 1121 participants that started the survey, 325 (29%) completed the baseline TS-SF. Through confirmatory factor analysis, the 9-item survey demonstrated a bifactor model with a substantive distress factor and a method factor. The instrument had high internal consistency with Cronbach's α of .96. Convergent validity determined the TS-SF score to be a predictor of tinnitus severity. Of 261 follow-up respondents, the test-retest reliability of r = 0.69 (95% confidence interval, 0.62-0.75) was determined. The MCID was determined using a distribution approach to be a 12-point change.

The TS-SF demonstrates good internal consistency, validity, and reliability. This patient-reported outcome measure for tinnitus can be used in tinnitus treatment trials and clinical practice. The 9-item survey is less likely to result in respondent survey fatigue than longer surveys, and the 2-week reference interval allows for monitoring of tinnitus severity change in an appropriate timeframe.