Manchaiah, VinayaAndersson , GerhardBeukes, Eldre W.Fagelson, Marc A.Swanepoel, De WetHeffernan , EithneMaidment, David2026-02-102026-02-102025-04-27Manchaiah, V.; Andersson, G.; Beukes, E.W.; Fagelson, M.A.; Swanepoel, D.W.; Heffernan, E.; Maidment, D. Development and Psychometric Validation of Tinnitus Qualities and Impact Questionnaire. Clinics and Practice 2025, 15, 87: 1-17. https:// doi.org/10.3390/clinpract15050087.2039-7283 (online)10.3390/clinpract1505008710.6084/m9.figshare.13681924http://hdl.handle.net/2263/107996SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS TABLE S1: The Tinnitus Qualities and Impact Questionnaire (TQIQ); TABLE S2: Mean (standard deviation) baseline scores for each outcome measure for those who did and did not receive the ICBT intervention.BACKGROUND : To develop and validate the Tinnitus Qualities and Impact Questionnaire (TQIQ), a new tool for evaluating the perceived qualities of tinnitus sound. METHOD : The study was part of two clinical trials on internet-based tinnitus interventions, using cross-sectional (n = 380) and pretest–posttest data (n = 280). Participants completed various questionnaires online, including the newly developed TQIQ and measures of tinnitus severity (Tinnitus Functional Index; TFI), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7; GAD-7), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 9; PHQ-9), insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index; ISI), and health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L Visual Analog Scale; VAS). The psychometric properties of the TQIQ were assessed, including construct validity, internal consistency reliability, floor and ceiling effects, interpretability, and responsiveness to treatment. RESULTS : Exploratory factor analysis resulted in two factors that accounted for 57% of the variance—internal and external tinnitus qualities. Overall, 92% convergent validity predictions were confirmed; TQIQ total scores strongly (≥0.6) or moderately (0.30 to 0.59) correlated with the TFI, GAD-7, PHQ-9, and ISI. The known-groups validity prediction was confirmed as individuals with an overall TFI score > 50 (severe) obtained significantly higher TQIQ scores. All internal consistency reliability statistics were within the required range (Cronbach’s α > 0.8). Floor and ceiling effects were negligible. ROC established clinically important cut-off scores, enhancing the interpretability of tinnitus severity classification. Finally, 89% convergent validity predictions were confirmed; TQIQ and TFI change scores were moderately correlated, indicating good responsiveness of the former to treatment. CONCLUSIONS : The TQIQ has adequate psychometric properties, providing a standardized measure for the assessment of characteristics of tinnitus sound in clinical practice.en© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.TinnitusTinnitus sensationOutcome measuresPsychometric validationQuestionnaireArticle