CROATIAN VERSION OF TINNITUS HANDICAP INVENTORY - THI-HR

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Psychometrics
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Tinnitus is a prevalent auditory disorder impacting quality of life.
• Validated assessment tools are crucial for clinical evaluation and research.
• The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) is a widely used measure, necessitating culturally adapted versions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To translate and culturally adapt the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) into the Croatian language.
• To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Croatian adaptation (THI-HR) in adult tinnitus sufferers.
• To establish THI-HR as a dependable instrument for assessing tinnitus-related distress in Croatia.

Main Methods:

• Translation and cultural adaptation of the THI questionnaire.
• Audiometry and administration of THI-HR, DASS, and EPQ R/S to 130 tinnitus patients.
• Statistical analysis including internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), construct validity (correlations), factor analysis, and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation).

Main Results:

• THI-HR demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.96 for total scale).
• Significant correlations were found between THI-HR and measures of depression, anxiety, stress, and neuroticism, supporting construct validity.
• Factor analysis confirmed a three-factor structure similar to the original THI, explaining 48.7% of variance.
• High test-retest reliability (r = 0.89 to 0.93) was observed.

Conclusions:

• The Croatian Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI-HR) is a reliable and valid psychometric instrument.
• THI-HR accurately measures the impact of tinnitus symptoms on daily life in the Croatian adult population.
• This validated tool facilitates clinical assessment and research on tinnitus in Croatia.