Abstract
In this pilot study 30 patients with annoying tinnitus completed tinnitus
matching and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). A cluster analysis
revealed three clusters of patients. Cluster one had relatively low
depression and average results on tinnitus parameters. Cluster two
displayed high depression scores and lower results on tinnitus parameters.
The last small cluster had high depression scores and high results
on tinnitus and hearing parameters. A curvilinear regression showed
a U-shaped relation between the BDI and minimal masking level. The
results are interpreted according to a diathesis stress model, in
which a vulnerable person might develop tinnitus distress following
a comparatively low degree of tinnitus and a more stress-tolerant
person might bear higher degrees of tinnitus before seeking help.
As a conclusion this may have implications for what treatment to
recommend and most certainly should be accounted for in the assessment
of patients.
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