Hearing Loss
Conditions
Keywords
psychological effects
Brief summary
Randomized trial comparing internet-delivered ACT with therapist support against waiting list for persons with hearing loss and comorbid psychological distress
Detailed description
Hearing loss is the most common sensory disability in the world. Hearing loss is an auditory disability which affects not only speech recognition, but also the ability to recognize, locate and identify sounds in one's environment. Today there are a variety of studies investigating the relationship between hearing loss and mental health. For example, there are studies showing that hearing loss can lead to depression, somatization, social isolation, worrying or anxiety, loneliness, smaller social networks, lower self-efficacy, sensitivity to stress, burnout, and impaired sleep quality and quality of life in comparison with people with normal hearing. Initial results from other studies indicate that acceptance may be of importance, as it in turn can lead to increased help-seeking.To avoid prolonged stress and a healthy self-efficacy could contribute to greater well-being of people with hearing loss. This is the first study to use ACT to improve psychological health in people with hearing loss through the process of psychological flexibility. The treatment is eight weeks long and internet delivered through self-help texts with weekly therapist support.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALInternet-delivered ACT
Therapist-guided Internet-delivered ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) for 8 weeks
Sponsors
Linkoeping University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 110 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* HHIE-S score over 8 * Indication of comorbid psychological suffering/distress (defined as total score above 0 on PHQ9/GAD7 or below 1sd on QOLI)
Exclusion criteria
* No computer with internet connection * Unability to understand written content * Incomplete screening procedure * A health condition that needs immediate care
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The Hearing Handicap Inventory for Elderly-Screening, change between pre and post treatment | through study completion, an average of 8 weeks |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD7), change between pre and post treatment | through study completion, an average of 8 weeks |
| Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI), change between pre and post treatment | through study completion, an average of 8 weeks |
| Patient Health Questionnaire Depression 9 (PHQ9), change between pre and post treatment | through study completion, an average of 8 weeks |
| Hearing Self-Efficacy (HSE), change between pre and post treatment | through study completion, an average of 8 weeks |
| Perceived Stress Scale-4 (PSS-4), change between pre and post treatment | through study completion, an average of 8 weeks |
| Hearing Acceptance Questionnaire (HAQ), change between pre and post treatment | through study completion, an average of 8 weeks |
Countries
Sweden
Outcome results
None listed