Abstract
Introduction
Tinnitus is a prevalent condition among many different populations. Since tinnitus is subjective, self-report questionnaires are one way of assessing how much the condition interferes with the quality of life of an individual.
Objective
The aim of the present study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Skarzynski Tinnitus Scale (STS) into Brazilian Portuguese and validate its psychometric properties.
Methods
The STS was translated and cross-culturally adapted using five main steps. Fifty-eight individuals who had continuous tinnitus were invited to complete the questionnaire. Pure tone audiometry (air and bone conduction) were also done.
Results
No major changes were necessary in translating the scale. The overall score was 1.3 (range 0–4). Internal consistency was tested by Cronbach α, which ranged from 0.54 to 0.85. Differences between genders and between subscales and the total score were not significant. A statistically significant difference was only found in the coping subscale, in which normal hearing subjects had higher scores than those with hearing loss.
Conclusion
The translation and adaptation of the STS established linguistic and cultural equivalence with the original. In addition, it exhibited good internal consistency. Our results suggest that the STS is suitable for use in a clinical setting.
Keywords
tinnitus; questionnaire; translations; hearing; self-assessment; hearing loss