Measuring Human Noise Sensitivity: Psychometric Evaluation in an Online Survey

Human noise-sensitivity has been measured by various instruments.These have rarely been compared, and, if so, with limited sample sizes.Therefore, the present study administered all major noise-sensitivity instruments simultaneously and in the same participant sample.An online survey was conducted and distributed via Prolific, recruiting 311 British participants (sample representative with respect to age, sex and ethnicity).The 21-item Weinstein Noise-Sensitivity Scale (WNSS), the 52-item Individual Noise-Sensitivity Questionnaire (LEF), and the 35-item Noise-Sensitivity Questionnaire (NoiSeQ) were presented in random order along with two types of singleitem ratings of noise sensitivity.Additionally, retrospective annoyance ratings with respect to six specific noise-sources, the Hyperacusis Impact Questionnaire (HIQ), and the Severity of Symptoms of Sound Sensitivity Questionnaire (SSSQ) were included.Results show high internal consistency (all Cronbach's alpha > .90)for the three noisesensitivity questionnaires and strong inter-correlations (all r > .83) of their overall scores.As expected, correlations with annoyance are lower, showing remarkable differences depending on the noise source in question.In all, the present findings provide support for the excellent psychometric quality of the established noise-sensitivity questionnaires, and confirm noise sensitivity as a