PROBLEM-ORIENTED PERSONALITY TYPE: A MARKER OF THE RISK OF DEVELOPING SUBJECTIVE IDIOPATHIC TINNITUS
The article presents the results of an empirical study of personality characteristics (neuroticism, extraversion, emotional stability) of the presence or absence of a problem-oriented personality type in 55 patients with subjective idiopathic tinnitus (average age 49.6 ± 11.2 years, 60% of men and 40% of women) and without (average age 48.5 ± 12.2 years, 55% of men and 45% of women). The use of the Tinnitus Severity Index (TSI), the problem-oriented personality type assessment questionnaire (DS-14), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and the Emotional stability assessment subscale from the Five-Factor Personality Questionnaire (FFPQ) made it possible for the first time to describe the affective style of patients with tinnitus. It was shown that the severity of tinnitus was higher in women compared to men. In the latter, the risk of tinnitus was twice as high as in women. Compared to people without tinnitus, patients with tinnitus have statistically and clinically significant higher levels of neuroticism, negative affectivity and social inhibition (isolation), on the one hand, and lower levels of extraversion and emotional stability, on the other hand. Patients with tinnitus and severe tinnitus distress are more likely to have a problem-oriented personality type, a problem-oriented personality type is associated with the presence of tinnitus and contributes to its perceived severity. Negative affectivity, as one of the dimensions of a problem-oriented personality type, has an adverse effect on the severity of tinnitus, and is a risk factor for tinnitus distress. In this regard, the article provides practical recommendations for the psychological examination of patients with tinnitus and the tactics of cognitive behavioral therapy