[Validation of Russian version of Tinnitus Catastrophizing Scale]

The Tinnitus Catastrophizing Scale (TCS) is designed for the quantitative assessment of cognitive-emotional reactions to chronic tinnitus and is widely used internationally as a reliable psychometric instrument. The aim of the present study was to perform the linguistic and cultural adaptation and validation of the Russian version of the questionnaire for use in Russian clinical practice.

Following translation and cultural adaptation, a validation study was conducted in 130 participants, including patients with tinnitus and normal hearing, tinnitus with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) from mild to profound degree, and a control group without tinnitus (for evaluation of face validity). Testing was carried out in two visits, with a 7-day interval to evaluate test-retest reliability.

The results confirmed the strong psychometric properties of the Russian version of the TCS: internal consistency (Cronbach's α=0.93), test-retest reliability (ICC=0.99), and high face validity (82-96% agreement, mean ≈89.5%). The average completion time was 6-7 minutes. The obtained data are consistent with those from international validation studies and confirm the equivalence of the Russian and original versions of the instrument.

The adapted Russian version of the TCS can be used in clinical audiology, otorhinolaryngology, neurology and psychiatry to assess the degree of tinnitus-related catastrophizing, to stratify patients, and to monitor treatment effectiveness over time.