Issues associated with the measurement of psychosocial benefits of group audiologic rehabilitation programs

The purpose of this review is to describe the psychosocial effects of hearing loss, review the literature that has attempted to measure the psychosocial benefits of group audiologic rehabilitation programs, and offer suggestions for the design of future studies. The psychosocial aspects of hearing loss are multidimensional and may include the emotional, cognitive, interpersonal, behavioral, and physical responses to hearing loss. As a result of the stigma of hearing loss, individuals may isolate themselves, avoid social interactions, and/or bluff their way through communication breakdowns. Participation in group audiologic rehabilitation programs is a straightforward way to deal with the stigma and the loss of social identity associated with hearing loss, and these groups are an ideal forum for teaching communication strategies. Yet, the literature on the efficacy of group audiologic rehabilitation has produced equivocal results. Several factors may have contributed to the lack of psychosocial benefits reported in the literature, including the theoretical framework upon which the program was designed, the actual class content, the effectiveness of the outcome measures, and the demographic characteristics of the participants in the programs. Future research should determine (1) if the theoretical framework and/or the content covered in group audiologic rehabilitation programs influences the psychosocial outcomes, (2) if instructor training influences psychosocial outcomes, (3) the ideal test battery to assess the psychosocial benefits of group audiologic rehabilitation programs, (4) the participant demographic and personality characteristics that influence psychosocial outcomes, and (5) whether experienced hearing aid users have different hearing-loss related psychosocial needs than new hearing aid users.