Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Tinnitus Acceptance Questionnaire and Its Correlation with Psychoacoustic Parameters in Patients with Chronic Subjective Tinnitus

Background and Aim: Acceptance of tinnitus may influence the perceived intensity and the distress it causes. The Tinnitus Acceptance Questionnaire (TAQ) is a useful tool for assessing tinnitus acceptance. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the TAQ (P-TAQ) and determine the correlation of its scores with psychoacoustic measures in patients with chronic tinnitus. Methods: After translation and confirming face validity, 85 patients with chronic tinnitus completed the P-TAQ, along with the Persian versions of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). To determine the reliability, the P-TAQ was completed by 30 patients after two weeks. Psychoacoustic parameters including pitch matching, loudness matching, and Minimum Masking Level (MML) were measured for all patients. Results: The P-TAQ had high face validity. The internal consistency was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha (α=0.92). The interclass correlation coefficient (0.994) confirmed reliability. A strong negative correlation was found between the total P-TAQ score and total THI score (p<0.001, r=–0.788), and the scores of the HADS subscales of anxiety (p<0.001, r=–0.623) and depression (p<0.001, r=–0.728). The total P-TAQ score showed a weak negative correlation with tinnitus loudness (p=0.003, r=–0.322) and PTA of both ears (r=– 0.223, p=0.040). There was no significant correlation between the total P-TAQ score and the factors of age, tinnitus duration, tinnitus pitch, or MML. Conclusion: The P-TAQ has excellent validity and reliability. Therefore, it can be used to assess tinnitus acceptance among Persian-speaking patients with chronic tinnitus. Keywords: Acceptance; tinnitus; tinnitus annoyance; tinnitus acceptance questionnaire