title: A Swedish cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Tinnitus Functional Index.
abstract: The Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) is a recent self-report instrument for tinnitus with potential advantages over other existing instruments, including a demonstrated high responsiveness. The objectives of this study were to translate and cross-culturally adapt the TFI into Swedish and to investigate its validity and reliability.
  
  
  
  The development of the Swedish version (TFI-SE) followed published guidelines on cross-cultural adaptation of health questionnaires. Validity and reliability was investigated by correlating responses on the TFI-SE with other tinnitus measures [Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and visual analogue scale (VAS)] and a scale measuring anxiety and depression (HADS).
  
  
  
  Consecutively recruited tinnitus patients (n = 100) from four Swedish clinics completed the questionnaires. The mean age of the sample was 51 years (SD =17).
  
  
  
  The internal consistency of the TFI-SE was good (α = 0.95) and the test-retest reliability was high (ICC =0.93). Our results supported the eight-factor structure proposed for the original TFI, and a high correlation between the TFI-SE and the THI (r = 0.8; p < 0.01) and lower correlations between the TFI-SE and the HADS-D (r = 0.60; p < 0.01) and HADS-A (r = 0.59; p < 0.01) confirmed satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity.
  
  
  
  We found that the Swedish translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the TFI is valid and reliable for use with adult tinnitus patients.
authors.affiliation: a Unit of Audiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology , Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden and.|b Habilitation and Health, Hearing Organization , Region Västra Götaland , Sweden.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoff
authors.affiliation: a Unit of Audiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology , Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden and.|b Habilitation and Health, Hearing Organization , Region Västra Götaland , Sweden.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kähäri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013548:Sweden; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D014175:Translating
keywords: Tinnitus; behavioural measures; instrumentation; psycho-social/emotional