Tinnitus is a common condition, characterized by the perception of ringing or noises in the head without an external source, that impacts numerous individuals worldwide, including those in Canada. The variability in tinnitus distress levels is thought to stem, at least in part, from diverse personality traits and the resulting emotional reactions to the condition. This study contributes to the growing body of research investigating the individuality of tinnitus sufferers and seeks to shed light on specific factors that contribute to their levels of associated distress. The investigation focused on two main factors: Desire for Control (an individual’s general inclination to assert control over life events) and Self-Efficacy for Tinnitus Management (confidence in effectively handling and managing tinnitus). The primary objective was to uncover any associations among these two factors and a patient's level of tinnitus distress. By understanding how these constructs interrelate, a deeper understanding of contributions to distress among those grappling with tinnitus can be gained. The significance of this research lies in its potential to enhance the support and interventions provided to tinnitus patients by healthcare professionals. An online survey collected responses from 130 Canadian adults regarding their health status and experiences with tinnitus. The study confirmed a robust correlation between the Self-Efficacy for Tinnitus Management Questionnaire (SETMQ) scores and the extent of distress experienced by individuals with tinnitus. The SETMQ, therefore, holds promise as a valuable instrument for identifying domains in which patients could benefit from additional support to alleviate their tinnitus-related distress. The study also revealed that there was no correlation between generalized desire for control and tinnitus-related distress. These results suggest the need for a new Desirability for Control scale similar in tinnitus-specificity to the SETMQ. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Tinnitus comes from the Latin verb “tinnire” which means “to ring”. It is often described as a persistent ringing in the ears that has no external source. Some, but not all, people find their tinnitus debilitating. This study examined whether people who strongly desire control but lack confidence in managing their tinnitus, experience higher stress because of it, compared to those with lower control needs or higher self-confidence. The results showed that having confidence in managing tinnitus is correlated with having lower distress, but there is no definite conclusion regarding the need for control. The results of this study suggest that a new method to measure the desire for control in a context specific to tinnitus is needed.

<p>The purpose of this thesis was to develop novel ways to study tinnitus, to investigate the course of tinnitus, and to study the effects of cognitive-behaviour therapy on tinnitus related distress. Data from 377 tinnitus patients were collected.</p><p>A group of 216 patients completed audiological measures and were assessed in a structured interview. The Klockhoff and Lindblom's grading system was used and its inter-rater reliability assessed in a subsample showing a high degree of correspondence. A discriminant analysis showed that a substantial proportion of patients could be correctly classified into grade II or III, by measures of pitch, minimal masking level of tinnitus, avoidance of situations because of tinnitus, and tolerance in relation to onset.</p><p>Using tests developed in cognitive psychology, it was found that tinnitus patients had impaired performance. There was no evidence for an attentional bias towards tinnitus related words using a computerized emotional Stroop task, but masking sounds of an "on-and-off" character were more disruptive than constant masking when patients performed the digit-symbol test. It is suggested that tinnitus distress may be increased by the 'changing-state' character of the tinnitus signal, or alternatively by intermittent masking sounds.</p><p>In a case-study a patient received an i.v. injection of lidocaine while Positron Emission Tomograpy was conducted. The brain activity associated with tinnitus included the left primary, secondary and integrative auditory brain areas, as well as right paralimbic areas related to negative feelings. The precuneus (Brodmann area 7) might be a brain area involved in the aversiveness associated with tinnitus.</p><p>Using a tinnitus questionnaire as the dependent measure it was found that tinnitus maskability at admission predicted distress at follow-up for an average of five years following admission. Some improvement in tinnitus occurred over time, but this was more evident in patients who had received a cognitive-behavioural treatment program.</p><p>The effect of an Internet based cognitive-behavioural self-help treatment program for tinnitus was investigated showing a high dropout rate, but with positive results in that the treated patients improved.</p>

The purpose of this thesis was to develop novel ways to study tinnitus, to investigate the course of tinnitus, and to study the effects of cognitive-behaviour therapy on tinnitus related distress. Data from 377 tinnitus patients were collected. A group of 216 patients completed audiological measures and were assessed in a structured interview. The Klockhoff and Lindblom's grading system was used and its inter-rater reliability assessed in a subsample showing a high degree of correspondence. A discriminant analysis showed that a substantial proportion of patients could be correctly classified into grade II or III, by measures of pitch, minimal masking level of tinnitus, avoidance of situations because of tinnitus, and tolerance in relation to onset. Using tests developed in cognitive psychology, it was found that tinnitus patients had impaired performance. There was no evidence for an attentional bias towards tinnitus related words using a computerized emotional Stroop task, but masking sounds of an "on-and-off" character were more disruptive than constant masking when patients performed the digit-symbol test. It is suggested that tinnitus distress may be increased by the 'changing-state' character of the tinnitus signal, or alternatively by intermittent masking sounds. In a case-study a patient received an i.v. injection of lidocaine while Positron Emission Tomograpy was conducted. The brain activity associated with tinnitus included the left primary, secondary and integrative auditory brain areas, as well as right paralimbic areas related to negative feelings. The precuneus (Brodmann area 7) might be a brain area involved in the aversiveness associated with tinnitus. Using a tinnitus questionnaire as the dependent measure it was found that tinnitus maskability at admission predicted distress at follow-up for an average of five years following admission. Some improvement in tinnitus occurred over time, but this was more evident in patients who had received a cognitive-behavioural treatment program. The effect of an Internet based cognitive-behavioural self-help treatment program for tinnitus was investigated showing a high dropout rate, but with positive results in that the treated patients improved.

No description available.

Tinnitus is the experience of sounds in the ears without any external auditory source and is a common, debilitating, chronic symptom for which we have yet to develop sufficiently efficacious interventions. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has evolved over the last 20 years to become the most empirically supported treatment for treating the adverse effects of tinnitus. Nevertheless, a significant proportion of individuals do not benefit from CBT-based treatments. In addition, the theoretical underpinnings of the CBT-model are poorly developed, the relative efficacy of isolated procedures has not yet been demonstrated, and the mechanisms of therapeutic change are largely unknown. These significant limitations preclude scientific progression and, as a consequence, leave many individuals with tinnitus suffering. To address some of these issues, a contextual multi-method, principle-focused inductive scientific strategy, based on pragmatic philosophy, was employed in the present thesis project. The overarching aim of the thesis was to explore the utility of a functional dimensional process in tinnitus: Experiential avoidance—experiential openness/acceptance (EA). EA is defined as the inclination to avoid or alter the frequency, duration, or intensity of unwanted internal sensations, including thoughts, feelings or physical sensations. The thesis is based on experimental work (Study II, VI), process and mediation studies (Study I, III, V), and on randomized controlled trials (Study III, IV). Three main sets of findings supported the utility of EA in tinnitus. First, an acceptance-based treatment (i.e.,Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, ACT) was found to be effective in controlled trials. Study III demonstrated that face-to-face ACT was more effective than a wait-list control and a habituation-based sound therapy. Study IV showed that internet-delivered ACT was more effective than an active control condition (internet-discussion forum) and equally effective as an established internet-delivered CBT treatment. Second, processes research (Study I, III, V) showed that key postulated processes of change were linked to the specific technology of ACT and that these changes in processes were associated with therapeutic outcomes. Specifically, Study V found evidence to that decreases in suppression of thoughts and feelings over the course of treatment were uniquely associated with therapeutic gains in ACT as compared with CBT. Third, experimental manipulations of experiential avoidance and acceptance processes provided support to the underlying dimension (Study II, VI). That is, Study II, employing an experimental manipulation, found that controlling background sounds were associated with reduced cognitive efficiency and increased tinnitus interference over repeated experimental trials. In addition, in normal hearing participants, experimentally induced mindfulness counteracted reduced persistence in a mentally challenging task in the presence of a tinnitus-like sound stemming from initial effortful suppression of the same sound (Study VI). It is concluded that a principle-, contextual-focused approach to treatment development may represent an efficient strategy for scientific progression in the field of psychological treatments of tinnitus severity. / Tinnitus är upplevelsen av ljud i frånvaro av en extern ljudkälla och är ett vanligt, långvarigt och svårbehandlat hälsotillstånd. Kognitiv beteendeterapi (KBT) har det starkaste forskningsstödet för att behandla de negativa konsekvenserna av tinnitus. Detta till trots svarar inte en stor andel på KBT-baserade behandlingar för tinnitus. Behandlingsutvecklingen av KBT försvåras som konsekvens av att teorier som behandlingen vilar på är dåligt utvecklade, effekten av isolerade tekniker har inte bevisats, och att förändringsmekanismer är till största del okända. Föreliggande avhandling avsåg att adressera några av ovanstående problem genom att tillämpa en induktiv, flermetod, principstyrd vetenskaplig strategi baserad på pragmatisk kontextuell filosofi. Det övergripande syftet med avhandlingen var att undersöka användbarheten i en funktionell processdimension vid tinnitus: upplevelsemässigt undvikande—upplevelsemässig acceptans (EA). EA definieras som benägenheten att undvika eller förändra frekvensen, durationen eller intensiteten av icke-önskade inre sensationer som tankar, känslor och fysiologiska sensationer. Avhandlingen är baserad på experimentella studier (Studie II, VI), process och mediationsstudier (Studie I, III, V) och randomiserade kontrollerade studier (Studie III, IV). Tre övergripande fynd bekräftade användbarheten av EA vid tinnitus. För det första kunde det påvisas i randomiserade, kontrollerade studier att en acceptans-baserad behandling (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, ACT) hade effekt på tinnitusbesvär. Studie III fann stöd för att ACT var mer effektiv än en väntelistekontroll och en habitueringsfokuserad ljudterapi. Studie IV fann stöd för att internet-förmedlad ACT var mer effektiv än en aktiv kontrollbetingelse (internet-diskussionsforum) och lika effektiv som en etablerad internet-förmedlad KBT-behandling. För det andra kunde processforskning (Studie I, III, V) påvisa att teoretiskt viktiga processer var relaterade till specifika tekniker i ACT och att dessa processer var i sin tur associerade med behandlingsutfall. Exempelvis kunde Studie V styrka att minskning i individers benägenhet att tränga undan tankar och känslor i relation till tinnitus var unikt associerat med behandlingsutfall i ACT i jämfört med KBT. För det tredje påvisade experimentella manipulationer av acceptans- och undvikande-processer användbarheten av EA (Studie II, VI). Studie II fann stöd för att kontroll över maskeringsljud var associerad med minskad kognitiv prestationsförmåga och ökade besvära av tinnitus över upprepade experimentella manipulationer i jämfört med att inte ha kontroll över maskeringsljudet. Slutligen visade Studie VI att bland normalhörande kunde experimentellt inducerad mindfulness motverka minskad förmåga att hålla ut i en mentalt krävande uppgift i närvaro av ett tinnitusliknande ljud till följd av initial suppression av samma ljud. Den övergripande konklusionen av vetenskapliga arbeten som sammanfattas i avhandlingen var att en principstyrd och kontextuell vetenskaplig strategi kan vara en framkomlig väg för att utveckla psykologiska behandlingar för tinnitusbesvär.

No description available.

A hiperacusia e o zumbido representam alterações na percepção dos sons, estando freqüentemente associados. Ambos refletem um estado de hiperatividade da via auditiva, gerado por alterações na plasticidade neuronal geralmente associadas à super estimulação ou deprivação sensorial. A hiperacusia refere-se a uma disfunção na percepção da intensidade de sons externos, o zumbido refere-se à percepção de um som interno que não tem uma fonte geradora externa. Afetam adultos e crianças e podem ocasionar limitações na qualidade de vida. Ainda são muito negligenciados por otorrinolaringologistas e pediatras, apesar da sua presença não ser incomum na infância. Delineamos um estudo populacional transversal randomizado entre crianças de 5 a 12 anos cujo objetivo principal foi estimar a prevalência da hiperacusia e do zumbido. O objetivo secundário foi avaliar a associação a possíveis fatores de risco e a causalidade entre os sintomas. Foram avaliadas 506 crianças em ambiente escolar. Os dados foram coletados por meio de questionário aos pais ou responsáveis, entrevista com as crianças, otoscopia e testes auditivos. A classificação dos resultados seguiu critérios previamente estabelecidos. Participaram 240 meninas (47,4%) e 266 meninos (52,6%), idade média 9.46 anos (DP= 2.09). Os limiares auditivos foram classificados como normais em 81%, disacusia de grau mínimo/leve em 14% e disacusia de grau moderado/ profundo em 4% das crianças. A prevalência da sensação de zumbido foi 37,5%, incômodo com zumbido 19,6% e hiperacusia 3,2%. Os fatores de risco foram analisados por um modelo de regressão multivariado. Em relação ao zumbido, os fatores associados foram: idade, gênero, perda auditiva, história de exposição aos sons e cinetose. Para a hiperacusia, o único fator de risco encontrado foi a perda auditiva leve na orelha esquerda. A presença de hiperacusia demonstrou ser o maior fator de risco associado ao incomodo com o zumbido / Hyperacusis and tinnitus are altered states of sound perception and are frequently associated. Both reflect a hyperactivity of the auditory pathway as an expression of neural plasticity which is often triggered by over stimulation or deprivation of sensorial stimuli. Hyperacusis is a dysfunction on loudness perception of external sounds and tinnitus a perception of an internal sound without an external source. They might affect adults and children causing interference on quality of life. They are still neglected by otolaryngologysts and pediatricians. A prospective cross sectional study was designed to estimate tinnitus and hyperacusis prevalence and evaluate association to possible risk factors and causality among them. Children from 5 to 12 years of age were evaluated in the school environment. Data was collected searching parental information, children\'s interview, otoscopy and audiometric tests. The symptoms were classified according to previous established criteria. The final sample counted on 240 girls and 266 boys, mean age 9.46 (SD= 2.09). Hearing thresholds were classified as normal in 81%, minimum to mild hearing loss in 14% and moderate to profound hearing loss in 4% of the children. Prevalence of tinnitus sensation was found to be 37.5%, tinnitus suffering 19.6% and hyperacusis 3.2%. Age, gender, hearing loss, history of noise exposure and motion sickness were risk factors to tinnitus. Left ear hearing loss was a risk factor for hyperacusis. The presence of hyperacusis demonstrated to be the highest risk factor to tinnitus suffering

A hiperacusia e o zumbido representam alterações na percepção dos sons, estando freqüentemente associados. Ambos refletem um estado de hiperatividade da via auditiva, gerado por alterações na plasticidade neuronal geralmente associadas à super estimulação ou deprivação sensorial. A hiperacusia refere-se a uma disfunção na percepção da intensidade de sons externos, o zumbido refere-se à percepção de um som interno que não tem uma fonte geradora externa. Afetam adultos e crianças e podem ocasionar limitações na qualidade de vida. Ainda são muito negligenciados por otorrinolaringologistas e pediatras, apesar da sua presença não ser incomum na infância. Delineamos um estudo populacional transversal randomizado entre crianças de 5 a 12 anos cujo objetivo principal foi estimar a prevalência da hiperacusia e do zumbido. O objetivo secundário foi avaliar a associação a possíveis fatores de risco e a causalidade entre os sintomas. Foram avaliadas 506 crianças em ambiente escolar. Os dados foram coletados por meio de questionário aos pais ou responsáveis, entrevista com as crianças, otoscopia e testes auditivos. A classificação dos resultados seguiu critérios previamente estabelecidos. Participaram 240 meninas (47,4%) e 266 meninos (52,6%), idade média 9.46 anos (DP= 2.09). Os limiares auditivos foram classificados como normais em 81%, disacusia de grau mínimo/leve em 14% e disacusia de grau moderado/ profundo em 4% das crianças. A prevalência da sensação de zumbido foi 37,5%, incômodo com zumbido 19,6% e hiperacusia 3,2%. Os fatores de risco foram analisados por um modelo de regressão multivariado. Em relação ao zumbido, os fatores associados foram: idade, gênero, perda auditiva, história de exposição aos sons e cinetose. Para a hiperacusia, o único fator de risco encontrado foi a perda auditiva leve na orelha esquerda. A presença de hiperacusia demonstrou ser o maior fator de risco associado ao incomodo com o zumbido / Hyperacusis and tinnitus are altered states of sound perception and are frequently associated. Both reflect a hyperactivity of the auditory pathway as an expression of neural plasticity which is often triggered by over stimulation or deprivation of sensorial stimuli. Hyperacusis is a dysfunction on loudness perception of external sounds and tinnitus a perception of an internal sound without an external source. They might affect adults and children causing interference on quality of life. They are still neglected by otolaryngologysts and pediatricians. A prospective cross sectional study was designed to estimate tinnitus and hyperacusis prevalence and evaluate association to possible risk factors and causality among them. Children from 5 to 12 years of age were evaluated in the school environment. Data was collected searching parental information, children\'s interview, otoscopy and audiometric tests. The symptoms were classified according to previous established criteria. The final sample counted on 240 girls and 266 boys, mean age 9.46 (SD= 2.09). Hearing thresholds were classified as normal in 81%, minimum to mild hearing loss in 14% and moderate to profound hearing loss in 4% of the children. Prevalence of tinnitus sensation was found to be 37.5%, tinnitus suffering 19.6% and hyperacusis 3.2%. Age, gender, hearing loss, history of noise exposure and motion sickness were risk factors to tinnitus. Left ear hearing loss was a risk factor for hyperacusis. The presence of hyperacusis demonstrated to be the highest risk factor to tinnitus suffering

Introdução: O zumbido está presente em grande parcela das queixas clínicas, podendo ser considerado um problema de saúde pública prejudicial à qualidade de vida (QV) do indivíduo. Proposição: Indicar as diretrizes para intervenção fonoaudiológica do zumbido por meio de avaliação específica, seleção, verificação e validação do aparelho de amplificação sonora individual (AASI) combinado ao gerador de som (GS). Material e Métodos: Foram elegíveis para compor a amostra 40 indivíduos de ambos os sexos com perda auditiva e queixa de zumbido. Os mesmos foram atendidos conforme a demanda clínica e submetidos aos seguintes procedimentos: anamnese e história pregressa da queixa, audiometria de alta frequência (AAF), imitanciometria e acufenometria com a pesquisa dos limiares psicoacústicos de pitch, loudness e limiar mínimo de mascaramento, verificação do GS, além da aplicação das ferramentas Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) e Escala Visual Analógica (EVA). A totalidade da amostra foi adaptada com AASI e GS da marca Siemens, participaram de uma sessão de aconselhamento com apoio de material digital e foram avaliados em duas situações: Avaliação Inicial (antes da adaptação do AASI e GS) e, Avaliação Final (6 meses, após a adaptação). As análises estatísticas realizadas foram descritivas e inferenciais, adotado nível de significância de 5% e realizados o Teste T-Pareado e o teste Correlação de Spearman. Resultados: Houve benefício com uso do AASI combinado ao GS a partir dos valores estatisticamente significantes, e fortes correlações entre os dados da verificação do GS em relação a acufenometria e aos questionários de incômodo/severidade. Em relação a verificação do GS é importante ressaltar que a totalidade da amostra selecionou a estimulação acústica efetiva baseada nos próprios níveis de conforto, comprovado neste estudo ser a intensidade suficiente para prognóstico positivo já que os ruídos dos usuários foram encontrados abaixo dos limiares psicoacústicos da acufenometria. Conclusão: O presente estudo concluiu que a estimulação acústica abaixo do nível do zumbido, torna a terapia acústica efetiva, assegurando a ausência do mascaramento com a melhora do incômodo. Dado este que especifica que a verificação do GS foi efetiva nas medidas em orelha real, e importante na avaliação e intervenção da queixa. / Introduction: Tinnitus is present in a large part of chronic health complaints, and it is considered a public health problem injurious to the individual\'s quality of life (QL). Proposition: The aim of this study was to indicate the guidelines for speech and hearing pathology intervention of tinnitus through specific evaluation, selection, verification and validation of the hearing aids (HA) combined with the sound generator (SG). Material and Methods: 40 individuals of both genders with hearing loss and tinnitus complaint were eligible to compose the sample. They were attended according to clinical demand and submitted to the following procedures: anamnesis and previous complaint history, high frequency audiometry (HFA), immittanciometry and acuphenometry with the research of psychoacoustic thresholds of pitch, loudness and minimum masking threshold, SG, in addition to the application of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) tools. The entire sample was adapted with Siemens HA and SG, participated in a counseling session with support of digital material and were evaluated in two situations: Initial Assessment (before the HA and SG adaptation) and Final Assessment (6 months, after adaptation). The statistical analyzes were descriptive and inferential, adopted a significance level of 5% and the T Paired Test and the Spearman Correlation test were performed. Results: The results showed that there was a benefit with the use of HA combined with SG from the statistically significant values and strong correlations between the SG verification data regarding acuphenometry and the nuisance/severity questionnaires. Regarding the verification of SG, it is important highlight that the entire sample selected the effective acoustic stimulation based on the own comfort levels, which was proved in the present study to be sufficient intensity for positive prognosis whereas the users\' noises were found below the psychoacoustic thresholds of acuphenometry. Conclusion: The present study concluded that acoustic stimulation below the level of tinnitus makes acoustic therapy effective, ensuring the absence of masking with the improvement of the nuisance. Given this it specifies that the GS verification was effective in the measures in real ear, and important in the evaluation and intervention of the complaint.

Introdução: O zumbido pode estar, em muitos casos, relacionado a alguma causa coclear, agindo como o início de processos dentro do sistema nervoso, resultando na sua percepção. Estudos recentes apontam que alterações cocleares podem prejudicar o mecanismo de compressão coclear, o que, por sua vez, pode comprometer a habilidade de resolução temporal envolvida no processamento auditivo. Quando a função coclear está preservada, o desempenho nas tarefas de processamento auditivo será mais eficiente. Para avaliar o grau do comprometimento coclear, informações sobre o limiar de emissões otoacústicas e o efeito de compressão coclear, ambos estimados pelas curvas de crescimento de emissões otoacústicas, aliados às medidas dos limiares auditivos para altas freqüências entre 9 e 20 kHz, contribuem na avaliação da função coclear em indivíduos que apresentem limiares auditivos dentro da normalidade na audiometria convencional. O estudo desta condição periférica e a sua influência sobre a habilidade auditiva de resolução temporal podem contribuir para a compreensão da percepção auditiva em indivíduos com zumbido e audição normal. Objetivo: verificar as medidas das Emissões otoacústicas por produto de distorção (EOAPD), dos limiares auditivos para altas freqüências (acima de 8 kHz), e a habilidade auditiva de resolução temporal, avaliada por meio do teste GIN (Gaps-in-noise), em adultos que apresentam limiares auditivos dentro da normalidade, com e sem queixa de zumbido. Método: Participaram do estudo um total de 48 adultos, com limiares auditivos entre 0,25 e 8 kHz dentro da normalidade, compondo 2 grupos: Grupo Controle formado por 28 sujeitos (55 orelhas), sem queixa de zumbido, com idades entre 22 e 40 anos (média 28,8), sendo 10 homens e 18 mulheres; e o Grupo Pesquisa formado por 20 indivíduos (40 orelhas) que apresentavam queixa de zumbido, com idades entre 21 e 56 anos (média 33,8 anos), sendo 3 homens e 17 mulheres. Os sujeitos foram submetidos a: audiometria tonal nas freqüências de 8 a 20 kHz; medidas de EOAPD com obtenção do DP-grama e da curva de crescimento; Teste GIN. Resultados: Para as curvas de crescimento das EOAPD, houve diferença significante entre os grupos, sendo que o grupo com zumbido apresentou limiares mais elevados em 2002 Hz. As medidas do DP-grama apresentaram amplitude de respostas menores para o grupo de indivíduos com zumbido em relação ao grupo Controle, sendo que esta diferença foi significante em 6006 Hz. Os limiares tonais para freqüências entre 9 kHz e 20 kHz foram significativamente mais elevados para os indivíduos com zumbido. Os resultados do teste GIN mostraram menor porcentagem de acertos e limiares de identificação do intervalo de silêncio mais longos para os indivíduos com zumbido em relação ao grupo Controle. Conclusão: Os indivíduos com zumbido, mesmo apresentando limiares auditivos dentro da normalidade, apresentaram alterações nas EOAPD e na audiometria em freqüências acima de 8 kHz, sugerindo alteração coclear. O teste GIN identificou dificuldade na habilidade auditiva de resolução temporal nos indivíduos com zumbido. / Introduction: In many cases tinnitus may be related to some cochlear cause, acting as the beginning of processes within the nervous system which will result in its perception. Recent studies point out that cochlear alterations may damage the cochlear compression mechanism, which may hinder the temporal processing skill that is involved in the auditory processing. When the cochlear function is preserved, the performance in auditory processing tasks is more efficient. Information on otoacoustic emissions threshold and on cochlear compression effect, both estimated by the DP-growth of otoacoustic emissions, associated to extended high-frequency hearing thresholds, contribute for the assessment of the cochlear function in individuals with normal hearing thresholds in the conventional audiometry. The investigation of this peripheral condition and its influence upon the auditory skill of temporal resolution may contribute for the understanding of hearing perception in individuals with tinnitus and with normal hearing. Aim: to investigate measures of distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), extended high-frequency hearing thresholds, and the temporal resolution using the GIN (Gaps-in-noise) test in adults with normal hearing thresholds with and without tinnitus complaint. Method: 48 adults with normal hearing thresholds at frequencies from 0,25 to 8 kHz took part in this study, divided into two groups: Control Group composed by 28 subjects (55 ears) without tinnitus complaint, ranging in age from 22 to 40 years (mean age= 28,8), 10 men and 18 women; and Study Group composed by 20 individuals (40 ears) with tinnitus complaint, ranging in age from 21 to 56 years (mean age = 33,8), 3 men and 17 women. Subjects underwent extended high-frequency audiometry; DPOAE evaluation obtaining the DP-gram and the DP-growth; and the GIN test. Results: There was a statistical significant difference between the groups for the DP-growth, the tinnitus group presented higher thresholds at 2002 Hz. DP-gram measures presented lower amplitude responses in the tinnitus group when compared to the Control group; this difference was statistically significant at 6006 Hz. Hearing thresholds for frequencies between 9 kHz and 20 kHz were statistically higher in individuals with tinnitus. Results of the GIN test showed lower percentage of correct responses and longer time interval for identification of gaps in noise for individuals with tinnitus than for individuals from the Control group. Conclusion: Individuals with tinnitus, even presenting normal hearing thresholds, present altered DPOAE and extended high-frequency audiometry suggesting cochlear impairment. The GIN test identified difficulty in the auditory skill of temporal resolution in individuals with tinnitus.