Audiologic and psychological profile of Greek patients with tinnitus--preliminary findings.

Tinnitus is a common complaint among people who suffer from auditory disorders. Altering the patients' response to tinnitus and the development of coping techniques are the most important goals of the therapeutic or suppression methods. This is the first study in the Greek population to investigate the personality characteristics and coping techniques of tinnitus patients. We have studied the relation between the subjective assessment of tinnitus intensity with factors such as sex, age, duration of symptom, and degree of hearing loss. We have also studied the possible relation between the patients' personality characteristics on their attitude towards tinnitus. The participants were 80 tinnitus sufferers, men and women, between 18 and 65 years of age. The personality characteristics were assessed with the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). The mean MMPI scores in both men and women were within the normal range. The duration of symptoms did not prove to be an important factor for the patients' subjective assessment of the tinnitus intensity. Most patients showed "effective" coping style, were well adjusted to tinnitus, and had no significant interference in their everyday functioning. The above are discussed in the context of the influence of geographical, climatological, economic, social, and cultural factors that influence psychological functioning.