The effectiveness of bibliotherapy in alleviating tinnitus-related distress.
OBJECTIVE
The present study examined the efficacy of bibliotherapy in assisting individuals experiencing distress related to tinnitus.


METHODS
One hundred sixty-two tinnitus sufferers from Australia participated in a study designed to examine the effectiveness of a cognitive-behaviorally based self-help book in reducing distress. To maximize the ecological validity of the findings, we excluded no individuals interested in treatment for tinnitus-related distress.


RESULTS
The experimental condition lost 35% of participants at postassessment, compared to 10% in the control group. In an analysis of participants who completed postintervention assessment, those assigned to the intervention condition, who received a tinnitus self-help book, showed significantly less tinnitus-related distress and general distress 2 months later compared to those assigned to the waiting list control condition. The intervention group's reduction in tinnitus-related distress and general distress from preintervention to postintervention 2 months later was significant, and these participants maintained a significant reduction in distress on follow-up 4 months after they received the tinnitus self-help book. A long-term follow-up of all participants, who at that time had received the book at least a year previously, showed a significant reduction in tinnitus distress. Although these group differences and pre-post changes were significant, effect sizes were small. Intention-to-treat analyses showed no significant effect for between-groups analyses, but did show a significant effect for the 1-year follow-up pre-post analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Information on the effectiveness of using a self-help book, without therapist assistance, in alleviating distress is important, as bibliotherapy can provide inexpensive treatment that is not bound by time or place.
University of New England, Armidale NSW 2351, Australia. jmalouff@une.edu.au
John M
JM
Malouff
William
W
Noble
Nicola S
NS
Schutte
Navjot
N
Bhullar
D000328:Adult; D001638:Bibliotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome