{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,23]],"date-time":"2026-08-23T18:02:04Z","timestamp":1787508124013,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,3]],"date-time":"2024-08-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1722643200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medicina"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Objectives: We hypothesized that an individual\u2019s personality traits would have an impact on the distress of subjective tinnitus. To investigate this, 32 participants were recruited; we followed up with this cohort. This study is a cross-sectional analysis of a part of this cohort, identifying how their personality traits make a difference in the severity of tinnitus distress. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two participants completed a personality test based on the Big Five theory, consisting of 160 items. Additionally, the severity of tinnitus was assessed using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), and the accompanying level of depression was measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Audiometry tests, including pure-tone audiometry, were also conducted. Participants were categorized into the \u2018mild group\u2019 if their total THI score was 36 or below, and into the \u2018severe group\u2019 if their score was 38 or above. Results: In the traditional five domains of the Big Five Inventory (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism), only the \u2018Neuroticism\u2019 domain showed a difference between the two groups (25.1 \u00b1 21.0 in the mild group and 43.1 \u00b1 18.2 in the severe group, p = 0.014). Among ego-related factors, the \u2018Helplessness\u2019 domain (26.3 \u00b1 22.9 in the mild group and 62.3 \u00b1 27.9 in the severe group, p &lt; 0.001) and the communication-related factor of \u2018Listening\u2019 (58.7 \u00b1 18.8 in the mild group and 37.8 \u00b1 27.9 in the severe group, p = 0.020) showed differences between the two groups. In the multivariate analysis, \u2018Helplessness\u2019 (estimate 0.419, 95% confidence interval 0.249\u20130.589, p &lt; 0.001), \u2018Emotional Trauma\u2019 (0.213, 0.020\u20130.406, p = 0.032), and \u2018Pure-tone threshold at 2000 Hz\u2019 (0.944, 0.477\u20131.411, p &lt; 0.001) were identified as factors influencing the severity of tinnitus distress. Conclusions: Ego-related factors, particularly Helplessness and Emotional Trauma, can influence tinnitus distress and should be considered in the management of tinnitus.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina60081259","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,5]],"date-time":"2024-08-05T07:37:30Z","timestamp":1722843450000},"page":"1259","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Effects of Personality Traits on the Severity of Chronic Subjective Tinnitus: A Cross-Sectional Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"60","author":[{"given":"Hyoyeon","family":"Jeong","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Otorhinolaryngology\u2013Head and Neck Surgery, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Department of Medicine, The Graduate School of Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ikhee","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Otorhinolaryngology\u2013Head and Neck Surgery, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Department of Medicine, The Graduate School of Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Seung Ho","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Otorhinolaryngology\u2013Head and Neck Surgery, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Department of Medicine, The Graduate School of Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0602-1529","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jong Bin","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Otorhinolaryngology\u2013Head and Neck Surgery, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Department of Medicine, The Graduate School of Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5020-7814","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hantai","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Otorhinolaryngology\u2013Head and Neck Surgery, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Department of Medicine, The Graduate School of Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"195","DOI":"10.1093\/bmb\/63.1.195","article-title":"Mechanisms of tinnitus","volume":"63","author":"Baguley","year":"2002","journal-title":"Br. Med. Bull."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heares.2010.12.003","article-title":"Tinnitus: Models and mechanisms","volume":"276","author":"Kaltenbach","year":"2011","journal-title":"Hear. Res."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"959","DOI":"10.1001\/jamaoto.2016.1700","article-title":"Prevalence, Severity, Exposures, and Treatment Patterns of Tinnitus in the United States","volume":"142","author":"Bhatt","year":"2016","journal-title":"JAMA Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"711","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amjmed.2010.02.015","article-title":"Prevalence and characteristics of tinnitus among US adults","volume":"123","author":"Shargorodsky","year":"2010","journal-title":"Am. J. Med."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"417","DOI":"10.2188\/jea.JE20140024","article-title":"Prevalence and associated factors of tinnitus: Data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009\u20132011","volume":"24","author":"Park","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Epidemiol."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"313","DOI":"10.3766\/jaaa.16154","article-title":"Expectations for Tinnitus Treatment and Outcomes: A Survey Study of Audiologists and Patients","volume":"29","author":"Husain","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1186","DOI":"10.1002\/lary.26711","article-title":"Hydroxyapatite cement resurfacing the dehiscent jugular bulb: Novel treatment for pulsatile tinnitus","volume":"128","author":"DeHart","year":"2018","journal-title":"Laryngoscope"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"244","DOI":"10.21053\/ceo.2023.00388","article-title":"Surgical Outcomes of Sigmoid Sinus Resurfacing for Pulsatile Tinnitus: The Predictive Value of the Water Occlusion Test and Imaging Studies","volume":"16","author":"Lim","year":"2023","journal-title":"Clin. Exp. Otorhinolaryngol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"192","DOI":"10.1097\/MAO.0000000000002093","article-title":"Jugular Bulb Resurfacing with Bone Cement for Patients with High Dehiscent Jugular Bulb and Ipsilateral Pulsatile Tinnitus","volume":"40","author":"Lee","year":"2019","journal-title":"Otol. Neurotol."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"709","DOI":"10.1227\/NEU.0000000000000902","article-title":"Sinus Wall Resurfacing for Patients with Temporal Bone Venous Sinus Diverticulum and Ipsilateral Pulsatile Tinnitus","volume":"77","author":"Song","year":"2015","journal-title":"Neurosurgery"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1159\/000090490","article-title":"Typewriter tinnitus: A carbamazepine-responsive syndrome related to auditory nerve vascular compression","volume":"68","author":"Levine","year":"2006","journal-title":"ORL J. Otorhinolaryngol. Relat. Spec."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sunwoo, W., Jeon, Y.J., Bae, Y.J., Jang, J.H., Koo, J.W., and Song, J.J. (2017). Typewriter tinnitus revisited: The typical symptoms and the initial response to carbamazepine are the most reliable diagnostic clues. Sci. Rep., 7.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-017-10798-w"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"580","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anl.2020.01.005","article-title":"Typewriter tinnitus: An investigative comparison with middle ear myoclonic tinnitus and its long-term therapeutic response to carbamazepine","volume":"47","author":"Han","year":"2020","journal-title":"Auris Nasus Larynx"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2516","DOI":"10.1002\/lary.23854","article-title":"Clinical characteristics and therapeutic response of objective tinnitus due to middle ear myoclonus: A large case series","volume":"123","author":"Park","year":"2013","journal-title":"Laryngoscope"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"478","DOI":"10.1097\/MAO.0000000000003863","article-title":"Transcanal Endoscopic Stapedial and Tensor Tympani Tenotomy for Middle Ear Myoclonus: A Retrospective Case Series of Surgical Outcomes","volume":"44","author":"Moon","year":"2023","journal-title":"Otol. Neurotol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"343","DOI":"10.1159\/000487260","article-title":"Long-Term Effects of Middle Ear Tendon Resection on Middle Ear Myoclonic Tinnitus, Hearing, and Hyperacusis","volume":"22","author":"Kim","year":"2017","journal-title":"Audiol. Neurootol."},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"S1","article-title":"Clinical practice guideline: Tinnitus","volume":"151","author":"Tunkel","year":"2014","journal-title":"Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1007\/s00106-019-0633-7","article-title":"A multidisciplinary European guideline for tinnitus: Diagnostics, assessment, and treatment","volume":"67","author":"Cima","year":"2019","journal-title":"HNO"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anl.2019.09.007","article-title":"Clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of chronic tinnitus in Japan","volume":"47","author":"Ogawa","year":"2020","journal-title":"Auris Nasus Larynx"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"795","DOI":"10.1007\/s00106-022-01207-4","article-title":"S3 Guideline: Chronic Tinnitus: German Society for Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery e. V. (DGHNO-KHC)","volume":"70","author":"Mazurek","year":"2022","journal-title":"HNO"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"605","DOI":"10.1080\/14992027.2016.1198966","article-title":"Anxiety and depression, personality traits relevant to tinnitus: A scoping review","volume":"55","author":"Durai","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"264","DOI":"10.1080\/13651501.2020.1757117","article-title":"Anxiety sensitivities, anxiety and depression levels, and personality traits of patients with chronic subjective tinnitus: A case-control study","volume":"24","author":"Karaaslan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Psychiatry Clin. Pract."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sim\u00f5es, J., Schlee, W., Schecklmann, M., Langguth, B., Farahmand, D., and Neff, P. (2019). Big Five Personality Traits are Associated with Tinnitus Improvement over Time. Sci. Rep., 9.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-019-53845-4"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"206","DOI":"10.1055\/a-1709-4912","article-title":"Perception of Tinnitus: Direct and Indirect Effects of Resilience, Personality Traits, and Psychiatric Symptoms","volume":"33","author":"Martins","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"271","DOI":"10.3766\/jaaa.15103","article-title":"The Personality Profile of Tinnitus Sufferers and a Nontinnitus Control Group","volume":"28","author":"Durai","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"538","DOI":"10.1080\/14992027.2018.1432902","article-title":"Personality traits predict and moderate the outcome of Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic tinnitus","volume":"57","author":"Weise","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. J. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"865","DOI":"10.1007\/s11126-017-9502-2","article-title":"The role of questioning environment, personality traits, depressive and anxiety symptoms in tinnitus severity perception","volume":"88","author":"Strumila","year":"2017","journal-title":"Psychiatr. Q."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"542","DOI":"10.1016\/j.paid.2008.06.013","article-title":"Development and Validation of an International English Big-Five Mini-Markers","volume":"45","author":"Thompson","year":"2008","journal-title":"Pers. Individ. Differ."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"593","DOI":"10.1037\/a0022389","article-title":"Toward a new approach to the study of personality in culture","volume":"66","author":"Cheung","year":"2011","journal-title":"Am. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"630","DOI":"10.1177\/0022022108321310","article-title":"Culture and Personality Among European American and Asian American Men","volume":"39","author":"Eap","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Cross Cult. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.1177\/0022022102239154","article-title":"The Interplay of Cultural Syndromes and Personality in Predicting Life Satisfaction: Comparing Asian Americans and European Americans","volume":"34","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Cross Cult. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.4103\/nah.nah_68_22","article-title":"Personality Traits and Tinnitus Distress: Results Based on Patients with Tinnitus in China","volume":"25","author":"Qi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Noise Health"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"397","DOI":"10.1111\/coa.12805","article-title":"Temperament and character traits in patients with tinnitus: A prospective case series with comparisons","volume":"42","author":"Chung","year":"2017","journal-title":"Clin. Otolaryngol."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1016\/j.econlet.2011.11.015","article-title":"The Stability of Big-Five Personality Traits","volume":"115","author":"Schurer","year":"2012","journal-title":"Econ. Lett."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"547","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.88.3.547","article-title":"Personality Profiles of Cultures Project. Universal features of personality traits from the observer\u2019s perspective: Data from 50 cultures","volume":"88","author":"McCrae","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Pers. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.5935\/0946-5448.20120022","article-title":"Development and standardization of tinnitus handicap inventory in Kannada","volume":"17","author":"Zacharia","year":"2012","journal-title":"Int. Tinnitus J."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"561","DOI":"10.1001\/archpsyc.1961.01710120031004","article-title":"An inventory for measuring depression","volume":"4","author":"Beck","year":"1961","journal-title":"Arch. Gen. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"588","DOI":"10.1207\/s15327752jpa6703_13","article-title":"Comparison of Beck Depression Inventories -IA and -II in psychiatric outpatients","volume":"67","author":"Beck","year":"1996","journal-title":"J. Pers. Assess."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"789","DOI":"10.1177\/0146167202289008","article-title":"The Big Five Personality Factors and Personal Values","volume":"28","author":"Roccas","year":"2002","journal-title":"Pers. Soc. Psychol. Bull."},{"key":"ref_40","unstructured":"John, O.P., Robins, R.W., and Pervin, L.A. (2007). Paradigm Shift to the Integrative Big Five Trait Taxonomy: History, Measurement, and Conceptual Issues. Handbook of Personality: Theory and Research, The Guilford Press. [3rd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"van Munster, J.J.C.M., van der Valk, W.H., Stegeman, I., Lieftink, A.F., and Smit, A.L. (2020). The Relationship of Tinnitus Distress with Personality Traits: A Systematic Review. Front. Neurol., 11.","DOI":"10.3389\/fneur.2020.00225"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"975","DOI":"10.1001\/archpsyc.1993.01820240059008","article-title":"A psychobiological model of temperament and character","volume":"50","author":"Cloninger","year":"1993","journal-title":"Arch. Gen. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"178","DOI":"10.1037\/hea0001113","article-title":"PTSD symptoms and tinnitus severity: An analysis of veterans with posttraumatic headaches","volume":"41","author":"Moring","year":"2022","journal-title":"Health Psychol."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fagelson, M. (2022). Tinnitus and Traumatic Memory. Brain Sci., 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci12111585"},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"349","DOI":"10.1037\/rev0000033","article-title":"Learned helplessness at fifty: Insights from neuroscience","volume":"123","author":"Maier","year":"2016","journal-title":"Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref_46","first-page":"CD007330","article-title":"Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) for tinnitus","volume":"2010","author":"Phillips","year":"2010","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Rev."},{"key":"ref_47","first-page":"CD012614","article-title":"Cognitive behavioural therapy for tinnitus","volume":"1","author":"Fuller","year":"2020","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Syst. Rev."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.7874\/jao.2023.00416","article-title":"Recent Updates on Tinnitus Management","volume":"27","author":"Lee","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Audiol. Otol."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"417","DOI":"10.1097\/AUD.0000000000000140","article-title":"Consensus on Hearing Aid Candidature and Fitting for Mild Hearing Loss, with and without Tinnitus: Delphi Review","volume":"36","author":"Sereda","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ear Hear."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"606","DOI":"10.1044\/2023_JSLHR-23-00031","article-title":"Efficacy of Amplification for Tinnitus Relief in People with Mild Hearing Loss","volume":"67","author":"Kam","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Speech Lang. Hear. Res."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"24","DOI":"10.7874\/jao.2022.00227","article-title":"Effects of Receiving Hearing Aids on Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults with Mild Hearing Loss","volume":"27","author":"Zahl","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Audiol. Otol."},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"773","DOI":"10.1080\/00016489.2021.1957145","article-title":"Effectiveness of hearing aids in treating patients with chronic tinnitus with average hearing levels of <30 dBHL and no inconvenience due to hearing loss","volume":"141","author":"Suzuki","year":"2021","journal-title":"Acta Otolaryngol."}],"container-title":["Medicina"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1648-9144\/60\/8\/1259\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T15:29:23Z","timestamp":1760110163000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1648-9144\/60\/8\/1259"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,3]]},"references-count":52,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,8]]}},"alternative-id":["medicina60081259"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/medicina60081259","relation":{},"ISSN":["1648-9144"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1648-9144","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,3]]}}}