Reliability and validity of the Lithuanian Tinnitus Handicap Inventory

Ingrida Ulozienė; Renata Balnytė; Giedrė Alzbutienė; Irina Arechvo; Antanas Vaitkus; Milda Šileikaitė; Viktoras Šaferis; Virgilijus Ulozas

doi:10.1016/j.medici.2016.07.002

Reliability and validity of the Lithuanian Tinnitus Handicap Inventory

Medicina (Kaunas). 2016;52(4):223-228. doi: 10.1016/j.medici.2016.07.002. Epub 2016 Jul 22.

Authors

Ingrida Ulozienė¹, Renata Balnytė², Giedrė Alzbutienė³, Irina Arechvo⁴, Antanas Vaitkus², Milda Šileikaitė³, Viktoras Šaferis⁵, Virgilijus Ulozas³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania. Electronic address: Ingrida.uloziene@lsmuni.lt.
² Department of Neurology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
³ Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
⁴ Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Vilnius University Hospital, Vilnius, Lithuania.
⁵ Department Physics, Mathematics and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.

PMID: 27515834
DOI: 10.1016/j.medici.2016.07.002

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of the Lithuanian version of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), a self-report measure of perceived tinnitus handicap.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional psychometric validation study was performed in the University Hospital. A total of 248 subjects reporting chronic tinnitus as their primary complaint or secondary to hearing loss were encluded in the study and filled in the Lithuanian version of THI. For assessment of construct validity a subgroup of 55 participants completed the Lithuanian version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale as a measure of self-perceived levels of anxiety and depression. Test-retest and internal consistency reliability as well as construct validity were calculated.

Results: The Lithuanian version of the THI and its subscales showed a robust internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha=0.93) comparable to the original version. Statistically significant correlations were observed between the Lithuanian translation of the THI and the measures of self-perceived levels of anxiety and depression using HADS. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the three subscales of the THI Lithuanian version corresponded to three different factors, which strongly correlated between themselves.

Conclusions: The results suggest that the Lithuanian version of THI maintains its original validity and may serve as reliable and valid measure of general tinnitus related distress that can be used in a clinical setting to quantify the impact of tinnitus on daily living.

Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Quality of life; Tinnitus; Tinnitus Handicap Inventory.

Publication types

Validation Study

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Catastrophization / diagnosis
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression / diagnosis
Disability Evaluation
Female
Humans
Lithuania
Male
Middle Aged
Personality Inventory / standards*
Psychometrics
Quality of Life
Reproducibility of Results
Self Report / standards*
Tinnitus / diagnosis*
Tinnitus / psychology*