TY - JOUR
T1 - Refinement and psychometric evaluation of the attitudes toward loss of hearing questionnaire
AU - Saunders, Gabrielle H.
AU - Cienkowski, Kathleen M.
PY - 1996
Y1 - 1996
N2 - Objective: To refine and statistically validate the Attitudes Toward Loss of Hearing Questionnaire (ALHQ) so that it will be appropriate for clinical application and to understand some of the personality attributes underlying attitudes toward hearing loss. Design: An American-English version of an ALHQ, originally designed by Brooks (1989), was completed by 226 men; a subset of 80 also completed personality questionnaires. All subjects underwent pure-tone testing and speech audiometry. Factor analysis was used to extract scales from the ALHQ. Reliability analyses using Cronbach's α were carried out on each scale. Test-retest reliability was evaluated from questionnaires completed 6 to 18 mo after initial administration. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the audiometric and personality determinants of attitudes. Results: Five reliable scales were extracted from a 24-question version of the ALHQ: 1) Social and Emotional Impact of Hearing Loss, 2) Acceptance/Adjustment to Hearing Loss, 3) Perceived Support from Significant Others, 4) Hearing Aid Stigma, and 5) Awareness of Hearing Loss. Audiometric data explained little of the variance in attitude scores; age and other demographic factors did not correlate with attitudes either. The personality traits of extroversion, self-esteem, and anxiety/neuroticism played a larger role in determining attitude. Conclusions: The ALHQ is psychometrically acceptable and is a potentially useful clinical tool. It is quick and easy to complete and to score and could be used as a basis for counseling and for following attitude change in patients over time.
AB - Objective: To refine and statistically validate the Attitudes Toward Loss of Hearing Questionnaire (ALHQ) so that it will be appropriate for clinical application and to understand some of the personality attributes underlying attitudes toward hearing loss. Design: An American-English version of an ALHQ, originally designed by Brooks (1989), was completed by 226 men; a subset of 80 also completed personality questionnaires. All subjects underwent pure-tone testing and speech audiometry. Factor analysis was used to extract scales from the ALHQ. Reliability analyses using Cronbach's α were carried out on each scale. Test-retest reliability was evaluated from questionnaires completed 6 to 18 mo after initial administration. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the audiometric and personality determinants of attitudes. Results: Five reliable scales were extracted from a 24-question version of the ALHQ: 1) Social and Emotional Impact of Hearing Loss, 2) Acceptance/Adjustment to Hearing Loss, 3) Perceived Support from Significant Others, 4) Hearing Aid Stigma, and 5) Awareness of Hearing Loss. Audiometric data explained little of the variance in attitude scores; age and other demographic factors did not correlate with attitudes either. The personality traits of extroversion, self-esteem, and anxiety/neuroticism played a larger role in determining attitude. Conclusions: The ALHQ is psychometrically acceptable and is a potentially useful clinical tool. It is quick and easy to complete and to score and could be used as a basis for counseling and for following attitude change in patients over time.
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U2 - 10.1097/00003446-199612000-00006
DO - 10.1097/00003446-199612000-00006
M3 - Article
C2 - 8979038
AN - SCOPUS:0030453201
SN - 0196-0202
VL - 17
SP - 505
EP - 519
JO - Ear and hearing
JF - Ear and hearing
IS - 6
ER -