Emotional Empathy Links Childhood Trauma to Misophonia

A 2026 study of 369 adults with misophonia in Türkiye provides new evidence that the condition’s roots may extend beyond the auditory system. Researchers Sevgi Koroglu Gokbel and Gülgün Durat from Sakarya University found that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to misophonia severity, and that this relationship is partially explained by a heightened capacity for emotional empathy.

Examining Developmental and Emotional Pathways

The study, published in *Frontiers in Psychology*, investigated whether misophonia is connected to broader emotional processing and developmental history. The team hypothesized that traumatic or stressful experiences in childhood could shape a person’s emotional sensitivity, which might later manifest as intense reactions to specific trigger sounds like chewing or tapping.

To test this, they conducted an online survey between September and November 2025. Participants who met diagnostic criteria for misophonia completed three standardized questionnaires: the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Scale, the emotional empathy subscale of the Cognitive and Emotional Empathy Scale, and the Misophonia Scale. The researchers then used structural equation modeling (SEM), a sophisticated statistical technique, to analyze the direct and indirect relationships between these variables.

Emotional Empathy as a Key Mediator

The analysis yielded clear and statistically significant results. Adverse childhood experiences were positively associated with higher levels of emotional empathy. In other words, individuals reporting more ACEs also tended to report a greater ability to feel and share the emotions of others.

This heightened emotional empathy was itself significantly associated with more severe misophonia symptoms. The mediation analysis confirmed the core hypothesis: emotional empathy plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between ACEs and misophonia. The indirect effect through emotional empathy accounted for approximately 25% of the total effect of ACEs on misophonia severity. The statistical model demonstrated a good fit, supporting the reliability of these findings.

Implications for Understanding and Treatment

These results challenge a purely sensory-based view of misophonia. They suggest that for some individuals, the condition may be intertwined with developmental trauma and a specific type of emotional sensitivity. The authors propose that adverse childhood experiences might lead to a state of empathic hypersensitivity, where a person not only feels emotions deeply but may also have a lower threshold for emotional overwhelm. Certain sounds might then become triggers not solely for their acoustic properties, but because they evoke or symbolize emotional states linked to past stress.

This has direct practical implications for treatment. As Koroglu Gokbel and Durat conclude, “focusing solely on trigger sounds in treatment may be limited.” Their evidence points to the potential benefit of integrating approaches that address underlying trauma, improve emotion regulation skills, and manage empathic hypersensitivity. Therapeutic strategies could expand beyond sound-based therapies to include modalities like cognitive behavioral therapy or trauma-informed counseling.

Connecting to a Broader Research Context

This study adds to a growing body of literature examining the psychological and neurological underpinnings of sound sensitivity disorders. The link between stress and auditory processing is seen in related conditions; for instance, research has explored the connection between hyperacusis and central pain mechanisms. Similarly, the role of emotional regulation is a common thread in managing tinnitus and anxiety.

Understanding misophonia as a condition potentially influenced by developmental empathy also opens new questions. Future research could examine whether similar mechanisms are present in other sensory or emotional hypersensitivity conditions. It also highlights the importance of holistic assessment in clinical settings, where a history of adverse childhood experiences might inform a more personalized and effective management plan for misophonia.

The findings from this cross-sectional study require confirmation through longitudinal research, but they offer a compelling new direction. They indicate that for many individuals, the intense reaction to a trigger sound is not just about the sound itself, but about a complex interaction between past experiences, present emotional sensitivity, and auditory perception.

**Source:** Koroglu Gokbel S, Durat G. The mediating role of emotional empathy in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and misophonia: a structural equation modeling. *Front Psychol*. 2026;17:1771797. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1771797. PMID: 42199284.