A Hebrew adaptation of the tinnitus handicap inventory.

OBJECTIVE To establish a Hebrew version of the English THI. DESIGN The English THI (THI-E) was translated into Hebrew by two bilingual investigators, independently. A third investigator then constructed the final Hebrew THI version (THI-H) from the two translations. This version was administered to fifty consecutive patients at the tinnitus clinic. Participants also assessed tinnitus severity and loudness, and completed the Hebrew versions of the Beck's depression inventory and the state anxiety inventory. STUDY SAMPLE The participants were fifty consecutive patients (older than 18 years of age, with a tinnitus lasting over three months) who were referred to a tinnitus clinic (none of them declared compensation seeking). RESULTS A very good internal consistency was found (α = 0.93), with significant correlation between the subscales of the THI-H and the Beck depression inventory score and the state anxiety inventory score. CONCLUSIONS A valid and reliable THI-H questionnaire was constructed.