The Effect Of Personality Chracateristics On The Effectiveness Of Group Cognitive Psychotherapy Treatment For Tinnitus
09-12, 08:30–09:00 (Europe/Istanbul), Audiology 1 (ICC - B3 Floor - 3B/68)

"The effect of personality characteristics on the effectiveness of group cognitive psychotherapy treatment for tinnitus"

dr. Beáta bencsik1, dr. Csaba kazinczi2, dr. Gábor polony1, dr. Judit szigeti f.1

1department of otorhinolaryngology and head and neck surgery, semmelweis university,

 budapest, hungary

2 department of pulmonology, semmelweis university, budapest, hungary

introduction: chronic tinnitus causes significant subjective distress. While cognitive-behavioral group interventions facilitate habituation, limited research has explored how personality traits and home practice compliance predict treatment outcomes. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a group-based skill-development intervention for tinnitus coping, and investigated the predictive power of the big five personality dimensions and home practice intensity on post-intervention outcomes.

methods: using a pre-post design (n = 93), tinnitus distress was measured using the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), and personality was assessed via the BFI-10. At post-intervention, sessions attended and self-reported home practice frequency were recorded, while controlling for psychiatric history. Data were analyzed using a wilcoxon signed-ranks test and a two-stage hierarchical linear regression. Additionally, the correlation between openness and somatosensory amplification (SAS) was examined.

results: at the group level, a highly significant reduction in tinnitus distress was observed (z = -7.33, p < .001), with 81.7% of the participants showing improvement. In the hierarchical regression, the first block of control variables (baseline THI, age, sessions, psychiatric history, practice) accounted for 49.8% of the variance in post-test THI scores (adj. r2 = .436). The inclusion of big five dimensions in the second block significantly increased the explained variance to 58.5% (adj. r2 = .466, delta r2 = .087). In the final model, home practice intensity was a significant positive predictor (b = 0.380, p = .033), and openness demonstrated a strong trend-level effect (b = 3.348, p = .063). Openness also correlated significantly with somatosensory amplification (r = .198, p = .044).

conclusions: the intervention effectively reduces tinnitus distress. The positive predictive value of home practice and openness reflects need-based compliance and a reflective cognitive style. Patients with higher baseline distress and somatic amplification may invest more effort into practicing, maintaining a heightened sensory focus that results in higher absolute post-test scores despite overall clinical improvement.

 

"The effect of personality chracateristics on the effectiveness of group cognitive psychotherapy treatment for tinnitus"

Session Chair Session Chair
Bülent Gündüz
Speaker Speaker
Beáta Bencsik
Beáta Bencsik

Name: Beáta Bencsik MD, PhD

Assistant professor

(Birth: Budapest, 05,02,1969.)

Address: Semmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, 1083, Szigony u 36, Budapest, Hungary

Diploma: Semmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, 1994. “cum laude”

Specialties:

1998- Oto-Rhino-Laryngology

2002- Audiology

2026- Psychotherapy

PhD: “Tinnitus and quality of life - Validation of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory and Use of Acoustic CR®-neuromodulation Treatment in Patients with Chronic Subjective Tinnitus” 2015.

PhD supervisor accreditation:

          2024. Topic: Etiology, diagnostic and treatment options of tinnitus

 Clinical work in Semmelweis University:

Sub-chief of outpatient department of Neurootology since 1998.

Chief of outpatient department of “Tinnitus” since 2011.

Leader of general inpatient department of ORL disease since 1999.

University teaching assistant 1998-2008.

Assistant professor from 2008.

Lead of English otorhinolaryngology education from 2017-2026.

Lead of postgradual education of otorhinolaryngology from 2026. 

Teaching work in Semmelweis University:

Gradual teaching: Teaching of Hungarian medical students and dentists in Hungarian language since 1995 and in English since 1998.

Postgradual courses: for oto-rhino-laryngologist, neurologists, neurootologist, audiologists and for family doctors from1998.

International otoneurological course in Budapest, 2017.

Membership of Societies:

Hungarian Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Head Neck Surgery 

Hungarian Tinnitus Society

International Neurootological and Equilibriometric Society

Society functions:

Secretary of Otoneurological Section of Hungarian Oto-Rhino-Laryngological & Head Neck Surgical Society 2012-2016.

President of Otoneurological Section of Hungarian Oto-Rhino-Laryngological & Head Neck Surgical Society since 2016-2025.

Secretary of the International Neurootological and Equilibriometric Society 2014-2025.

Elected member of the Editorial board of the Hungarian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology 2018-2023.

Member of Committee of otorhinolaryngological professional training

Award: Semmelweis University Dean's Award

              COVID Hero Award recipient

Study-tours:

2003-2014. Bad Kissingen (Germany), international neurootological collaboration

          working with Prof. C.F.-Claussen

2003. Padua (Italy) Dep.of Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery at    

           the University of Padua

2005. Marseille (Spain) Up-dated management of vertigo and vestibular disorders

                      (Marseilles Training Courses)

            2010. Heildelberg (Germany) temporal bone surgery course

2011. Carpi (Italy) Balance diagnosis and rehabilitation

2013. Belgrade Balance Forum (Serbia)

2013. Berlin (Germany) Medpace tinnitus study

2015. Madrid (Spain) Vertigo master class, VHIT

2017. Belgrade Balance Forum (Serbia)    

2017. Budapest, (Hungary) Holistic Expertise in neurootology (international Teaching   

          Course as an organizer)         

  2018. Belgrade Balace Forum (Serbia)

  2019. Belgrade Balance Forum (Serbia)

  2019. Portoros (Slovenia) Vertigo Days

  2024. Kopenhagen (Denmark) TRV Workshop, Interacoustics Academy

  2024. Belgrade Balance Forum (Serbia)
Bülent Gündüz
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