Attitudes to noise in young adults and associated factors: adaptation of the youth attitude to noise scale into Spanish using item response theory analysis

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to identify the attitudes to noise in young adults and the possible effects of gender, age, and a positive history of auditory symptoms related to recreational noise exposure on the attitudes to noise in this population.

Design

The Youth Attitude to Noise (YANS) and the hearing symptom description (HSD) scales were adapted into Spanish to be used with young adults. The validity was determined using factor analyses and Item Response Theory (IRT) models. Linear regression models were used to determine whether the YANS scores were associated with gender, age, and auditory symptoms.

Study sample

Both instruments were given to a sample of 728 Chilean young adults. Data obtained from this sample was used to determine the YANS and HSD scales' validity and to assess the effects of gender, age, and auditory symptoms on attitudes.

Results

Our results showed that the YANS and HSD scales had adequate validity and reliability. Differences in the items' capacity to discriminate attitudes to noise were noted using the IRT model. Auditory symptoms were significantly associated with the YANS scores.

Conclusions

The attitudes to noise in Chilean young adults are influenced by self-perception of auditory symptoms, age, and gender.

Keywords:

• Hearing conservation/hearing loss prevention
• attitudes to noise
• item response theory
• youth attitude to noise scale

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Gabriel Lagos R. (Departamento Ciencias de Rehabilitación en Salud, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile), and Darío Reyes O. (Carrera de Fonoaudiología de la Universidad Bernardo ÓHiggins, Santiago, Chile) for their helpful comments on earlier drafts.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).