SELF-EFFICACY IN TINNITUS PATIENTS.

Self-efficacy can be defined as the trust that individuals carry in their abilities to perform certain task or their ability to organize and carry out activities in stressful situations, being determining in behavior modification. We evaluated the self-efficacy in 58 patients with tinnitus complaints. By using the t-test for equality of averages, for general self-efficacy, self-efficacy of initiation and persistence, and self-efficacy for adversity, it has been attained that self-efficacy perceived by men is higher than amongst women. For social self-efficacy there cannot be found any statistically significant differences. Through Pearson's Correlation it has been verified that there are correlations between the values obtained in the range of general self-efficacy and its subscales and age, years of schooling, time with the complaint of tinnitus, and QoL measured by THI, not existing correlations with the values of the VAS for the intensity of tinnitus. The obtained results confirm the existence of various relations between perceived self-efficacy and QoL values of individuals with tinnitus. Being a variable that has a cognitive component combined with emotional aspects, it may be helpful to find strategies to improve self-efficacy. The use of a physical instrument like a small manual, which the patient can be able to access whenever he has doubts or feels more upset about the tinnitus, and that may give him information about their problem, as well as strategies to improve how to deal with it more efficiently, can be an asset for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]