Zhaoli Meng1, Zhenxi Chen2, Ke Xu1, Gang Li1, Yong Tao1, Joey Sum-Wing Kwong3. 1. a Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery , West China Hospital of Sichuan University , Chengdu , China . 2. b Clinical Department , Sichuan University , Chengdu , China , and. 3. c Chinese Evidence-Based Medicine Centre , West China Hospital, Sichuan University , Chengdu , China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To develop a Mandarin version of the tinnitus questionnaire (MTQ) and determine the reliability and validity, and to assess whether it could be used clinically in the Chinese population. DESIGN: The MTQ, short-form (36) health survey, hospital anxiety and depression scale, Mandarin (Chinese) tinnitus handicap inventory, and visual analogue scale were completed by the participants. STUDY SAMPLE: We included 192 adults seeking treatment for primary or secondary tinnitus. RESULTS: Five factors, namely, emotional distress, auditory perceptual difficulties, cognitive distress, sleep disturbance, and intrusiveness, were extracted from the MTQ. Thirty-seven items were included. The MTQ had high test-retest reliability (Spearman correlation coefficients: 0.87-1.00). The MTQ and its subscales had good internal consistency and reliability (total α = 0.93, subscales α = 0.71-0.86). A single measure of severity can be acquired by summing the five subscale scores. The MTQ was significantly correlated with psychological distress and tinnitus-related handicap. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that the MTQ is a reliable and valid measure of tinnitus-related psychopathological symptoms and could be used clinically to evaluate tinnitus-related psychological problems. Questionnaires designed to explore tinnitus-related depression and other symptoms not covered by the scope of the MTQ are needed.
OBJECTIVE: To develop a Mandarin version of the tinnitus questionnaire (MTQ) and determine the reliability and validity, and to assess whether it could be used clinically in the Chinese population. DESIGN: The MTQ, short-form (36) health survey, hospital anxiety and depression scale, Mandarin (Chinese) tinnitus handicap inventory, and visual analogue scale were completed by the participants. STUDY SAMPLE: We included 192 adults seeking treatment for primary or secondary tinnitus. RESULTS: Five factors, namely, emotional distress, auditory perceptual difficulties, cognitive distress, sleep disturbance, and intrusiveness, were extracted from the MTQ. Thirty-seven items were included. The MTQ had high test-retest reliability (Spearman correlation coefficients: 0.87-1.00). The MTQ and its subscales had good internal consistency and reliability (total α = 0.93, subscales α = 0.71-0.86). A single measure of severity can be acquired by summing the five subscale scores. The MTQ was significantly correlated with psychological distress and tinnitus-related handicap. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that the MTQ is a reliable and valid measure of tinnitus-related psychopathological symptoms and could be used clinically to evaluate tinnitus-related psychological problems. Questionnaires designed to explore tinnitus-related depression and other symptoms not covered by the scope of the MTQ are needed.