Assessment of hyperacusis with a newly produced Japanese version of the Khalfa hyperacusis questionnaire

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of a Japanese version of the Khalfa hyperacusis questionnaire (KHQ) and proposed a threshold KHQ score for classifying hyperacusis.

Methods: In total, 112 patients with hyperacusis (group A) and 103 patients without hyperacusis (group B). The patients in group A were further classified into the following subgroups: subjects with hyperacusis as their chief complaint (n = 26, group A1) and subjects with hyperacusis accompanied by chief complaints of tinnitus and/or hearing loss (n = 86, group A2).

Results: The average total questionnaire score for patients in group A was 11.8 ± 9.7, which was statistically significantly higher than that of patients in group B, 5.7 ± 4.8. Cronbach’s coefficients for internal consistency were high for the total score (0.92). The average total scores for groups A1 and A2 were 18.1 ± 11.1 and 9.9 ± 8.4, respectively, and the difference between the groups was statistically significant.

Conclusions: We developed a Japanese version of the KHQ. It showed high reliability and validity; suggesting its usefulness in clinical practice. We propose that a total KHQ score of 16 is an appropriate cutoff for classifying hyperacusis

Chinese abstract

目的: 本研究的目的是确定日本版Khalfa 听觉过灵问卷 (KHQ) 的有效性和可靠性, 并提出用于听觉过灵分类的阈值KHQ评分。

方法: 共有112例听觉过灵 (A组) , 103例无听觉过灵 (B组) 。 A组患者进一步分为以下亚组: 听觉过灵为主要病症 (n = 26, A1组) ；听觉过灵伴有耳鸣和/或听力丧失的主要病症 (76例, A2组) ) 。

结果: A组患者平均总问卷得分为11.8 ± 9.7, B组为5.7 ± 4.8, A组比B组高, 其差异具有统计学意义。内部一致性的克朗巴赫系数对于总分 (0.92) 来说是高的。 A1组和A2组平均总分分别为18.1 ± 11.1和9.9 ± 8.4, 其差异在统计学上是显著的。

结论: 我们开发了日本版的KHQ, 它显示出高的可靠性和有效性, 表明其在临床实践中的有用性。我们建议, 总KHQ评分16是听觉过灵分类的适当截止值。

Keywords:

• Hyperacusis
• questionnaire

Acknowledgements

The authors declare no conflict of interest. This study was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (H24-006 OK). The authors wish to thank Dr. Ayako Sakata for helping us with collecting patients’ data.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (H24-006OK) and AMED (17dk0310065h0002). The authors wish to thank Dr. Ayako Sakata for helping us with collecting patients’ data.