Tinnitus Cognitions Questionnaire: Development and Psychometric Properties of a Measure of Dysfunctional Cognitions Associated with Tinnitus

Abstract

The development of the Tinnitus Cognitions Questionnaire (TCQ), a scale designed to assess positive and negative cognitions associated with tinnitus, is described. Psychometric analyses of the TCQ are examined, with a total of 189 subjects from three separate samples. The results indicate good test-retest reliability (r = 0.88) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.91). Factor analysis revealed two factors that were interpreted as positive cognitions and negative cognitions. TCQ negative items and positive items were found to be unrelated (r = 0.09). Correlations between the TCQ and other self-report indices of depression, automatic negative thoughts, and tinnitus-specific symptomatology are reported. The TCQ may provide a useful index of the cognitive responses of tinnitus sufferers and may be employed as a measure of change in outcome research on psychological management of tinnitus.