Is there a relationship between childhood traumatic experiences, somatoform dissociation, and subjective tinnitus?

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to reveal the existence of childhood traumatic experiences representing the symptoms of somatoform dissociation in patients with subjective tinnitus. Material and Methods: One hundred forty patients with cases of tinnitus for more than six months and 118 healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 35 were admitted. Researchers employed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire (SDQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) in cases with tinnitus and control subjects, and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) solely in the tinnitus group. Results: We found very high levels of emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect, SDQ, BDI, and BAI in patients with subjective tinnitus. However, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between SDQ and THI. When patients with tinnitus were separated using the SDQ cutoff score, very high levels of emotional abuse, physical abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect were found in patients with SDQ ≥ 35 scores. We also found the high-level THI predicted the SDQ. Discussion: We have determined that tinnitus is associated with a strong effect to integrate childhood traumatic experiences and somatoform dissociation. Trauma-oriented psychotherapies may be useful for patients with subjective tinnitus to manage trauma-related symptoms.