Work

Psychological Correlates of Tinnitus Handicap: Associations with Personality Traits and Emotional Distress

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Tinnitus is often a distressing and disabling condition that negatively affects individuals' emotional well-being and quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between perceived tinnitus handicap and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, personality traits, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Methods: Tinnitus patients with hearing loss (N = 127) underwent audiologic testing and completed the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Form (EPQ-RS). Patient sociodemographic data (age, sex, and education level) and descriptive tinnitus characteristics were collected. The control group (N = 119) comprised tinnitus-free patients with hearing loss. Results: Patients experiencing catastrophic tinnitus reported significantly higher depression, anxiety, and stress scores compared to those with slight, mild, or moderate tinnitus grades. Education level was weakly negatively associated with THI scores. Conversely, weak-to-moderate positive relationships were observed for tinnitus loudness, pure tone average, the three DASS subscales, and the neuroticism subscale. Hierarchical multiple regression identified subjective tinnitus loudness, neuroticism, and total emotional distress (the total DASS score) as statistically significant predictors of the total THI score. Patients with tinnitus showed statistically significantly higher depression, anxiety, and stress subscale scores compared to tinnitus-free controls. Conclusions: The severity of tinnitus handicap is primarily driven by subjective loudness, underlying neuroticism, and emotional distress. Patients with catastrophic tinnitus exhibit markedly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Consequently, clinical management of tinnitus must move beyond standard audiologic testing to include comprehensive psychological screening and targeted distress-reduction therapies.

Source: Journal of Clinical Medicine

DOI: 10.3390/jcm15155796

Authors: Tomislav Sušac, Ivona Čarapina Zovko, Josip Lesko, Goran Šimić, Anamarija Mikulić, Boris Jelavić

Institutions: University Clinical Hospital Mostar, University of Mostar

Language: English

Topic: Hearing, Cochlea, Tinnitus, Genetics

Subfield: Sensory Systems

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137