The mediating role of tinnitus perception between hearing impairment and development of psychological problems in male and female tinnitus patients

• Date: 11 December 2017
• Pages: 332-343
• Published date: 11 December 2017
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHRH-05-2017-0017
• Author: Muhammad Aqeel,Ammar Ahmed,Tanvir Akhtar
• Subject Matter: Health & social care,Vulnerable groups,Inequalities & diverse/minority groups,Sociology,Race & ethnic studies,Minorities,Multiculturalism,Racial identity,Work, economy & organizations

The mediating role of tinnitus perception

between hearing impairment and

development of psychological problems

in male and female tinnitus patients

Muhammad Aqeel, Ammar Ahmed and Tanvir Akhtar

Abstract

Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of psychological problems

(stress, anxiety, depression) between hearing impairment (HI) and tinnitus in tinnitus patients. Sample

comprised of 110 patients (male, n ¼70; female, n ¼40).

Design/methodology/approach –The purposive sampling technique was used based on correlational

design. Two scales, tinnitus handicap inventory developed by Newman et al.(1996), and depression, anxiety

and stress scale developed by Lovibond and Lovibond (1995), were employed to assess tinnitus, anxiety,

stress and depression among tinnitus patients.

Findings –The study revealed that tinnitus was positively significant correlated with depression (r ¼0.55,

po0.001), anxiety (r¼0.63, p o0.001), stress (r¼0.54, p o0.001) and hearing loss (r ¼0.81, p o0.001).

The results also revealed that hearing loss was positively significant predictor for tinnitus (β¼20.72,

po0.001). Further, it was revealed that tinnitus was positively significant predicted by anxiety (β¼2.62,

po0.001), stress (β¼2.33, po0.001) and depression (β¼2.71, p o0.001); the interaction between

psychological symptoms and hearing loss was negatively significant predictor for stress (β¼−0.51,

po0.001), anxiety (β¼−0.57, po0.001) and depression (β¼−0.62, p o0.001). Moreover, it was revealed

that female tinnitus patients were more predisposed to stress, anxiety and depression as compared to male

tinnitus patients. Results also elaborated that those tinnitus patient who had profound HI were less inclined

toward psychological problems as compared to those tinnitus patients who had mild to moderate level of HI.

This study would be helpful for the clinical setting to tackle the psychological problems of tinnitus patients.

Research limitations/implications –This study consisted on population from urban cities of Pakistan;

therefore,the findings cannot be generalizedon overall population.In future, descriptive as well as experimental

studieswill be beneficial to describethe mechanism of tinnitus acrossgender in detail. Native tool for measuring

gender-relatedproblems would be effective in future as it integratescultural aspects as well.

Originality/value –There is a consensus across researchers that tinnitus is one of the most important biological

problem which initiates various other psychological problem (Minen et al., 2014; Vogel et al., 2014). Numerous

studies have been conducted to find out the relationship of tinnitus with various psychological and biological

factors (Boi et al., 2012; Li et al., 2014; Marciano et al., 2003; McCormack et al., 2015; Møller et al., 2010;

Udupi et al., 2013; Zöger et al., 2006).

Keywords Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Hearing loss, Tinnitus

Paper type Research paper

Introduction

There is a consensus across researchers that tinnitus is one of the most important biological

problemwhich initiates various other psychologicalproblem (Minen et al., 2014; Vogel et al., 2014).

Numerous studies have been conducted to find out the relationship of tinnitus with various

psychological and biological factors (Boi et al.,2012;Liet al., 2014; Marciano et al.,2003;

McCormack et al.,2015;Mølleret al., 2010; Udupi et al., 2013; Zöger et al., 2006).

Received 2 May 2017

Revised 5 July 2017

8 August 2017

Accepted 4 September 2017

Muhammad Aqeel is a Lecturer

and Ammar Ahmed is a Scholar

both at the Department of

Psychology, Foundation

University, Rawalpindi

Campus, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Tanvir Akhtar is based at the

Department of Psychology,

Foundation University,

Rawalpindi Campus,

Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

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VOL. 10 NO. 5 2017, pp. 332-343, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2056-4902 DOI 10.1108/IJHRH-05-2017-0017