Randomized Controlled Trial in Clinical Settings to Evaluate Effectiveness of Coping Skills Education Used With Progressive Tinnitus Management
Publication: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research
Volume 60, Number 5
Pages 1378-1397
Abstract
Purpose
This randomized controlled trial evaluated, within clinical settings, the effectiveness of coping skills education that is provided with progressive tinnitus management (PTM).
Method
At 2 Veterans Affairs medical centers, N = 300 veterans were randomized to either PTM intervention or 6-month wait-list control. The PTM intervention involved 5 group workshops: 2 led by an audiologist (teaching how to use sound as therapy) and 3 by a psychologist (teaching coping skills derived from cognitive behavioral therapy). It was hypothesized that PTM would be more effective than wait-list control in reducing functional effects of tinnitus and that there would be no differences in effectiveness between sites.
Results
At both sites, a statistically significant improvement in mean Tinnitus Functional Index scores was seen at 6 months for the PTM group. Combined data across sites revealed a statistically significant improvement in Tinnitus Functional Index relative to wait-list control. The effect size for PTM using the Tinnitus Functional Index was 0.36 (small).
Conclusions
Results suggest that PTM is effective at reducing tinnitus-related functional distress in clinical settings. Although effect sizes were small, they provide evidence of clinical effectiveness of PTM in the absence of stringent research-related inclusion criteria and with a relatively small number of sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research
Volume 60 • Number 5 • 24 May 2017
Pages: 1378-1397
PubMed: 28418492
Copyright
Copyright © 2017 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
History
- Received: Mar 30, 2016
- Revised: Aug 12, 2016
- Accepted: Oct 7, 2016
- Published in issue: May 24, 2017
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Citing Literature
- J. A. Henry, E. J. Thielman, T. Zaugg, S. Griest, B. J. Stewart, Assessing Meaningful Improvement: Focus on the Tinnitus Functional Index, Ear & Hearing, 10.1097/AUD.0000000000001456, 45, 3, (537-549), (2024).
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- Khaya Clark, Suheily Lovelace, John C. Moring, Emily J. Thielman, Kassander A. Thompson, James A. Henry, Tara Zaugg, Voices From the Field: A Quality Improvement Project for Progressive Tinnitus Management 2.0, American Journal of Audiology, 10.1044/2024_AJA-23-00167, 33, 4, (1077-1091), (2024).
- Marc Fagelson, Tinnitus Education for Audiologists Is a Ship at Sea: Is It Coming or Going?, Audiology Research, 10.3390/audiolres13030034, 13, 3, (389-397), (2023).
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