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Personality characteristics of tinnitus patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 May 2011

Abstract

A short form of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory was administered to 146 clinical patients who were assigned to one of four groups: Group I, tinnitus only; Group II, hearing loss and tinnitus, tinnitus primary; Group III, hearing loss and tinnitus, hearing loss primary; and Group IV, hearing loss only. The purpose of the study was to determine whether there were measurable characteristics unique to the tinnitus patient. Elevations were noted for all four groups on Scales 8, 6, 3, and 2, showing significant differences between the groups who suffered from tinnitus as opposed to those whose primary complaint was hearing loss. The tinnitus patients, especially those with only tinnitus, had social adjustment problems that were not evidenced for patients with impaired hear-ing. Indications are that the patient with an inveterate hearing loss is better able to cope with tinnitus than the patient who is suddenly and unaccountably afflicted with tinnitus.

Type
Session IV. Clinical Concepts of Tinnitus (Chairman: M. Ronis)
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1984

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