Version Date: 7/7/11

Subject ID: ____________________________________________ 

Tinnitus Knowledge Inventory – Audiology Session 1 

INSTRUCTIONS: Please read each statement and circle the best answer. 

1. The main goal of using soothing sound is to:

(a) make you feel better as soon as you hear it

(b) shift your attention away from your tinnitus

(c) reduce contrast to make it easier to ignore your tinnitus

(d) make your tinnitus quieter

2. The main goal of using background sound is to:

(a) make you feel better as soon as you hear it

(b) shift your attention away from your tinnitus

(c) reduce contrast to make it easier to ignore your tinnitus

(d) make your tinnitus quieter

3. The main goal of using interesting sound is to:

(a) make you feel better as soon as you hear it

(b) shift your attention away from your tinnitus

(c) reduce contrast to make it easier to ignore your tinnitus

(d) make your tinnitus quieter

4. Which of these is a goal of tinnitus management?

(a) cure tinnitus

(b) reduce emotional reactions

(c) make tinnitus quieter

(d) make tinnitus go away

5. Your Sound Plan Worksheet should be used:

(a) only once, without making changes

(b) to plan how to use sound when tinnitus is a problem

(c) to plan how to use sound to make tinnitus quieter

(d) to plan how to use sound to help you hear better
Version Date: 7/7/11

Subject ID:____________________________________________ 

Tinnitus Knowledge Inventory – Mental Health Session 1

INSTRUCTIONS: Please read each statement and circle the best answer. 

1. Cognitive behavioral therapy:

(a) can help change how you think and what you do to manage tinnitus

(b) is only helpful for mental health problems

(c) is only helpful for tinnitus

(d) can help change thoughts but not emotions

2. Which of these would help you reduce stress? 

(a) practice relaxation exercises

(b) think of stress as a threat

(c) avoid exercise

(d) practice short and quick breathing

3. Relaxation exercises:

(a) quiet your tinnitus 

(b) help you focus on your tinnitus

(c) speed up your breath and heart rate 

(d) slow down your breath and heart rate

4. Deep breathing exercises: 

(a) should be done in a quiet room

(b) should be done while standing

(c) involve holding your breath for 15 seconds

(d) involve slow breathing from your abdomen 

5. Adding pleasant activities to your day will:

(a) make your tinnitus quieter

(b) distract you from your tinnitus

(c) make your tinnitus go away

(d) improve your hearing
Version Date: 7/7/11

Subject ID:____________________________________________ 

Tinnitus Knowledge Inventory – Audiology Session 2

INSTRUCTIONS: Please read each statement and circle the best answer. 

1. Background sound:

(a) is so soft you almost can’t hear it

(b) is always white noise

(c) might not help right away, but can help in the long run

(d) is soothing sound

2. The Sound Plan Worksheet:

(a) requires the use of soothing sound

(b) can be used over and over

(c) does not include wearable listening devices

(d) should not be changed

3. The “candle in a dark room” is used to explain why:

(a) soothing sound is helpful

(b) interesting sound is helpful

(c) background sound is helpful

(d) annoying sound is NOT helpful

4. Which of these is NOT a sound based method of tinnitus management?

(a) Tinnitus Masking

(b) Tinnitus Retraining Therapy

(c) Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment

(d) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

5. If your tinnitus bothers you at night, which of these might help you sleep?

(a) soothing sound

(b) background sound

(c) interesting sound

(d) all of the above
Version Date: 7/7/11

Subject ID____________________________________________ 

Tinnitus Knowledge Inventory – Mental Health Session 2

INSTRUCTIONS: Please read each statement and circle the best answer. 

1. Thought errors are:

(a) able to make you feel better

(b) negative thoughts

(c) out of your control

(d) helpful and healthy

2. Which of the following is a corrected thought error?

(a) Nothing I ever do is right

(b) I am a failure if I don’t manage my tinnitus perfectly

(c) I am learning ways to have a good day even when my tinnitus is loud

(d) If my tinnitus is loud when I wake up, I know I will have a bad day

3. Which of the following is a corrected thought error?

(a) Last night my tinnitus kept me awake, but most nights I eventually fall 

asleep

(b) I was awake all night from tinnitus – this will happen every night

(c) I will never learn how to use my Sound Plan

(d) I will never learn how to use my Changing Thoughts and Feelings Plan

4. Before I can change my thoughts, I must first:

(a) identify thoughts I had before feeling bad

(b) listen to relaxing sounds

(c) consult with my mental health provider

(d) practice Deep Breathing

5. Which one of these statements is true?

(a).Thoughts affect health

(b) Feelings cannot be changed

(c) Feelings and thoughts are the same

(d) Thought errors are very rare
Version Date: 7/7/11

Subject ID: ____________________________________________ 

Tinnitus Knowledge Inventory – Mental Health Session 3

INSTRUCTIONS: Please read each statement and circle the best answer. 

1. Which of these statements is true?

(a) You might not notice relaxation exercises helping right away—but that does 

not mean they are not helping

(b) Reducing pleasant activities can help you get better at ignoring tinnitus

(c) It is best to practice relaxation exercises in a quiet environment

(d) Tinnitus is more likely to get your attention when you stay busy

2. Which of these can be a FIRST step toward changing your thoughts? 

(a) Picture yourself having positive thoughts in the future

(b) Identify what was going on when you started to feel bad (the event itself)

(c) Think about bad feelings you were having

(d) Think about good feelings you were having

3. The step-by-step process of changing your thoughts includes:

(a) making a list of pleasant activities

(b) when you feel bad, using the Changing Thoughts Exercise to feel better

(c) ignoring your feelings

(d) doing the Changing Thoughts Exercise when you feel happy and content

4. The new positive thought should be:

(a) very detailed

(b) easy to remember

(c) what you want to think, even if you know it’s not true

(d) long

5. Which of these is the LAST step toward changing your thoughts?

(a) picture yourself in the future

(b) identify what you were thinking before you started to feel bad

(c) think about bad feelings you were having

(d) think about evidence against bad thoughts