Agreement and reliability of tinnitus loudness matching and pitch likeness rating

Derek J. Hoare, Mark Edmondson-Jones, Phillip E. Gander, Deborah A. Hall

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

40 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The ability to reproducibly match tinnitus loudness and pitch is important to research and clinical management. Here we examine agreement and reliability of tinnitus loudness matching and pitch likeness ratings when using a computerbased method to measure the tinnitus spectrum and estimate a dominant tinnitus pitch, using tonal or narrowband sounds. Group level data indicated a significant effect of time between test session 1 and 2 for loudness matching, likely procedural or perceptual learning, which needs to be accounted in study design. Pitch likeness rating across multiple frequencies appeared inherently more variable and with no systematic effect of time. Dominant pitch estimates reached a level of clinical acceptability when sessions were spaced two weeks apart. However when dominant tinnitus pitch assessments were separated by three months, acceptable agreement was achieved only for group mean data, not for individual estimates. This has implications for prescription of some sound-based interventions that rely on accurate measures of individual dominant tinnitus pitch.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere114553
JournalPLoS ONE
Volume9
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 5 Dec 2014

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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