The relationship between tinnitus, hyperacusis and anxiety in children
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A prospective investigation into the relationship between tinnitus, hyperacusis and anxiety in children aged 8-16 years in children attending a paediatric audiology department
IRAS ID
169949
Contact name
Samantha Lear
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Clinical Research Facility, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 8 months, 7 days
Research summary
Tinnitus (sounds perceived in the head or ears when there is no external sound present) is not uncommon in children; various studies suggest that 13-53% of children have experience of it. However, relatively little is known about tinnitus and/or hyperacusis (lowered tolerance of everday sounds) in children. It has been suggested that anxiety is a factor in children with tinnitus. This study aims to find out whether levels of anxiety are higher the more severe the tinnitus is in children, and to compare levels of anxiety in children with and without hyperacusis.
The study will recruit children from all those attending Hearing Services at Sheffield Children’s Hospital in the appropriate age group (8-16 years). Thus participants will include children with and without tinnitus, and with and without hyperacusis.
Children will be asked whether they have tinnitus, and to rate its severity if present, using child-friendly 0-10 scales. They will also be asked whether or not they suffer from hyperacusis which actually affects their day-to-day lifestyle. Participants will then be asked to complete a short questionnaire especially constructed to measure anxiety in school-aged children (the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children, Speilberger, C).
Results will be analysed to see how anxiety is related to tinnitus, taking into account the presence or not of hyperacusis, and of other factors such as hearing levels, and age. It is hoped that this study will help audiologists and doctors seeing children with tinnitus and/or hyperacusis to know whether this group of children and young people are more likely to have high levels of anxiety, and thus to consider treatment for anxiety in their management.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/YH/0169
Date of REC Opinion
10 Apr 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion