Several researchers from Hashir International Institute presented at the 36th World Congress of Audiology that took place in Paris, from the 19th to 22nd of September 2024. The French Society of Audiology, French Society of Otorhinolaryngology, and the International Society of Audiology brought together the world’s leading experts in hearing loss, tinnitus and vestibular disorders for this scientific conference. Topics discussed in this conference ranged from tele-audiology, Artificial Intelligence, hearing aids, audiological services across the globe, and evidence-based audiology to professional matters.
Dr Hashir Aazh (Director of Hashir International Institute) chaired a session on Tinnitus and Hyperacusis: Innovative Interventions. He also shared his research on Audiologist-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) For Tinnitus, Hyperacusis and Misophonia Rehabilitation. In this talk, a programme of audiologist-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) comprising 14 therapy sessions was introduced. This is a specialised therapy for tinnitus, hyperacusis and misophonia rehabilitation and comprises four stages: I) Assessment, II) Preparation, III) Active treatment, and IV) Maintenance stage. The content of the therapy briefly comprises (1) education about misophonia and relevance of CBT, (2) enhancing patient’s motivation to engage with the therapy process, (3) setting goals, (4) formulation, (5) identifying troublesome thoughts, (6) identifying avoidance behaviours and rituals, (7) SEL (Stop Avoidance, Exposure, & Learn from it), (8) KKIS (Know, Keep on, Identify, Substitute), (9) identify and challenge deeper thoughts and beliefs, and (10) integrating CBT into lifestyle (CBStyle).
Fatma. B. Kula (PhD student and research assistant at Hashir International Institute) presented her study on Mediation Analysis on the Correlation Between Misophonia and Fatigue, Sleep, Stress, Hyperacusis, and Mental Health: Preliminary Results. She earned the prestigious Student Scholarship from the International Society of Audiology. This award, presented at the World Congress of Audiology in Paris, is given to only six students globally this year. The summary of her presentation is as below:
Aims: This study examines the correlation between misophonia and its impact on fatigue, hyperacusis, sleep quality, stress levels, and mental health. Specifically, it seeks to determine which of these factors are the key predictor of influencing misophonia in individuals. Additionally, the study aims to investigate whether hyperacusis and stress mediate the relationship between misophonia and fatigue.
Population: A total of 451 participants were recruited from academic institutions, social media, clinics, and support groups. Most participants were female (N=272) and white (N=220), with an average age of 34.61 (SD=11.61).
Methods: The study used an online survey design via the Qualtrics platform to explore how misophonia relates to fatigue, sleep quality, stress, hyperacusis, and mental health. Participants completed various assessments including the MisoQuest questionnaire for misophonia, 3D-WFI for fatigue, HIQ for hyperacusis impact, a single-item sleep quality scale, stress symptoms measure, and SAD-T for mental health screening. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple-linear regression, and mediation analysis. Ethical considerations included informed consent and participant confidentiality.
Results: Positive moderate correlations were observed between misophonia and fatigue (r = 0.32, p < 0.01) as well as hyperacusis (r = 0.32, p < 0.01). Weak positive correlations were found for mental health (r = 0.23, p < 0.01) and a weak negative correlation for sleep quality (r = -0.14, p < 0.01) along with a weak positive correlation for stress (r = 0.25, p < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed that hyperacusis (β = 0.284), fatigue (β = 0.258), stress (β = 0.133), age (β = -0.140), and gender (β = -0.178) were significant predictors of misophonia (p < 0.01), while mental health and sleep symptoms showed non-significance. Moreover, mediation analysis demonstrated significant indirect effects of fatigue on misophonia through hyperacusis and stress with an indirect effect size of 0.05 and 0.04, respectively. Notably, the direct effect of fatigue on misophonia remained significant (direct effect = 0.23, p < 0.01), indicating the presence of both direct and indirect pathways.
Interpretation: The findings suggest that misophonia is associated with various factors. High levels of fatigue and hyperacusis demonstrate moderate associations with misophonia, while mental health, sleep quality, and stress indicate weaker correlations. In the analysis, hyperacusis, fatigue, and stress emerged as key predictors of misophonia. Interestingly, mental health and sleep didn’t predict misophonia significantly. Furthermore, fatigue indirectly influences misophonia through hyperacusis and stress, indicating multiple pathways of influence.
Conclusion: Our study demonstrated the association between misophonia and fatigue, hyperacusis, sleep quality, stress, and mental health. The findings can enhance our understanding of misophonia`s underlying causes by considering multiple factors in its assessment but still, this mechanism is very complex. Therefore, future research should explore these relationships and ways to help people manage misophonia symptoms.
Finally, Professor Brian C.J. Moore (honorary hearing research consultant at Hashir International Institute) talked about development and evaluation of the CAM2 hearing aid fitting method. He explained that both laboratory and field evaluations of CAM2 have shown that it leads to a satisfactory loudness in many situations and for many types of sounds. However, even experienced hearing aid users prefer the lower gains recommended for new users.
