Psychometric adequacy of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) for evaluating treatment outcome.

TLDR

The study evaluated the test‑retest reliability of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory and created severity categories for self‑perceived tinnitus handicap. Twenty‑nine tinnitus patients completed the THI twice (average 20‑day interval) on paper, and quartile‑based severity matrices were derived from raw scores. The THI demonstrated high test‑retest reliability, a 20‑point confidence interval, and is a brief, robust tool for assessing tinnitus impact on daily life.

Abstract

This study assessed the test-retest reliability/repeatability and 95 percent confidence intervals (CIs) of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and developed categories for classifying self-perceived tinnitus handicap severity. Twenty-nine adults with tinnitus as their primary auditory complaint served as subjects. The THI was administered on two occasions (mean interval 20 days) using a paper-pencil format. Results support the contention that the THI is psychometrically robust. Specifically, the test-retest reliability/repeatability was high. Additionally, the 95 percent CI for the THI was 20-points, indicating that a 20-point or greater change had to occur from test to retest for a change to be considered statistically significant at the 5 percent confidence level. Quartiles calculated from raw scores were used to create a matrix of values representing tinnitus severity. We conclude that the THI is a brief, easily administered, and psychometrically robust measure that evaluates the impact of tinnitus on daily living.