Auditory sensation with affective agnosia: A prevalence of alexithymia among tinnitus patients

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and association of alexithymia, depression, and anxiety in patients affected by tinnitus. METHODS: The study was conducted among the patients referred for audiometric evaluation for tinnitus. They were further evaluated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Analysis was done for prevalence and the sample was categorized as high and low tinnitus handicap subgroups, and mean scores of alexithymia, anxiety, and depression were compared. RESULTS: A total of 70 patients (55.7% – male and 44.3% – female) with a mean age of 33.17 ± 12.24 years were finally analyzed. The severity of tinnitus was most severe (34.3%), followed by moderate (20%), catastrophic (18.6%), mild (17.1%), and slight (10%). The prevalence of alexithymia, anxiety, and depression among patients of tinnitus was found to be 65.7%, 37.1%, and 20%, respectively. The high tinnitus handicap group showed higher scoring on total alexithymia score, anxiety, and depression and higher scoring with describing emotion and identification of emotion, but there was no difference for the subscale of externally oriented thinking. CONCLUSIONS: The study found a prevalence of alexithymia, anxiety, and depression as 65.7%, 37.1%, and 20%, respectively, among patients of tinnitus, and problem of describing and identification of emotion are associated with higher tinnitus handicap.