Audiologic and psychological profile of Greek patients with tinnitus - Preliminary findings

Tinnitus is a common complaint among people who suffer from auditory disord ers. Altering the patients' response to tinnitus and the development of cop ing techniques are the most important goals of the therapeutic or suppressi on methods. This is the first study in the Creek population to investigate the personality characteristics and coping techniques of tinnitus patients. We have studied the relation between the subjective assessment of tinnitus intensity with factors such as sex, age, duration of symptom, and degree o f hearing loss. We have also studied the possible relation between the pati ents' personality characteristics on their attitude towards tinnitus. The p articipants were 80 tinnitus sufferers, men and women, between 18 and 65 ye ars of age. The personality characteristics were assessed with the Minnesot a Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). The mean MMPI scores in both me n and women were within the normal range. The duration of symptoms did not prove to be an important factor for the patients' subjective assessment of the tinnitus intensity. Most patients showed "effective" coping style, were well adjusted to tinnitus, and had no significant interference in their ev eryday functioning. The above are discussed in the context of the influence of geographical, climatological, economic, social, and cultural factors th at influence psychological functioning.