A scoping review of arabic self-reported measures of hearing, tinnitus and hyperacusis

To identify Arabic-language self-report measures related to hearing, tinnitus and hyperacusis and evaluate whether they had been validated and cross-culturally adapted following translation from other languages. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR guidelines) and searched 5` information sources (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Google Scholar) from their inception to September 2023, identifying all originally developed or translated Arabic self- or parent-report measures related to hearing, tinnitus and hyperacusis. A total of 1,458 records were screened, with only 28 deemed eligible for inclusion. This review identified 23 measures related to hearing and 5 related to tinnitus and hyperacusis. All but three measures were translated and cross-culturally adapted from other languages. No statistical analysis was performed. The absence of detailed descriptions of the translation process was a common concern in the identified publications. Despite millions speaking Arabic as their native language, there is a notable lack of high-quality, comprehensive Arabic-language self-report measures for hearing, tinnitus and hyperacusis. Further efforts are needed to develop and cross-culturally adapt validated Arabic measures in accordance with recommended guidelines for research and clinical applications.