A new study published in PLOS ONE has revealed that difficulties managing emotions—particularly anger, anxiety, and nonacceptance of emotional experiences—play a central role in the distress caused by misophonia, a condition in which certain everyday sounds trigger intense emotional and physical reactions.
The research, led by Dr Matthew Hanna and colleagues at Duke University, examined data from over 200 adults who reported misophonia symptoms that interfered with daily life. Using network analysis, the team explored how misophonia relates to emotion regulation, anger, and anxiety.
Key emotional links
The study found that misophonia severity was most strongly connected to:
These emotional factors were highly “central” in the network, meaning they influence many other aspects of misophonia distress. The analysis also revealed two main clusters of symptoms: one involving emotion dysregulation and misophonia, and another linked to emotional clarity and awareness.
Implications for treatment
The findings suggest that interventions focusing on anger management, anxiety reduction, and emotion acceptance could be especially effective for people with misophonia. Approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based techniques may help patients build emotional flexibility and reduce reactivity to sound triggers.
Expert commentary
Dr Hashir Aazh, Director of the Hashir International Institute, commented:
“This study provides valuable insight into the emotional foundations of misophonia. It highlights how distress is not simply about sound sensitivity, but about the way people experience and regulate emotions. Treatments that strengthen emotional awareness and acceptance can be powerful tools in helping patients regain comfort and control in everyday environments.”
Looking ahead
The authors recommend that future research track these emotional factors over time to better understand how they shape the course of misophonia and its response to therapy.
Reference
Hanna MR, Collins AC, Shan Y, Chen B, Wang S, Rosenthal MZ. Examining the role of emotion regulation, anger, and anxiety in misophonia: A network model. PLOS ONE. 2025;20(8):e0329920. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0329920.
