Vestibular disorder and emotional distress

A standardised test of psychopathology (CCEI) was administered to tinnitus sufferers some of whom also complained of dizziness. It was predicted that the complaint of dizziness would be associated with higher scores on the anxiety scales of the CCEI and this was confirmed. Subjects complaining of dizziness obtained much higher scores on 'phobic' and 'somatic' anxiety scales in particular. However, the complaint of dizziness was completely uncorrelated with objective assessments of balance and there was no effect of balance, objectively assessed, in moderating the association between the complaint of dizziness and 'anxiety'. The results highlight the complex relationship between vestibular dysfunction and complaint behaviour.