Misophonia Stress in Audiology Students

A new study of university students has found a direct link between the severity of misophonia symptoms and higher levels of perceived stress. The research, which also assessed awareness of the condition among future healthcare professionals, suggests misophonia is a multidimensional disorder deeply connected to emotional regulation and stress response.

Measuring Misophonia and Stress in Future Clinicians

Researchers Rahmiye Nur Aktan, Ali Karaağaç, and Hilal Nur Saygılı recruited 196 adult university students from occupational therapy and audiology departments. Their goal was to determine awareness levels of misophonia in these groups and establish any relationship between symptom severity and stress.

Participants completed three tools: a demographic form assessing their knowledge of misophonia, the Misophonia Questionnaire (MQ), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The MQ measures the severity of emotional and behavioral reactions to trigger sounds. Statistical analysis confirmed the scales had acceptable internal consistency, meaning they reliably measured what they intended to.

Stress and Sensory Awareness Influence Symptom Severity

The analysis revealed statistically significant differences across all parameters when examining scores by stress status and field of study. A clear correlation emerged: as misophonia symptom scores increased, so did perceived stress scores. This relationship points to the intense emotional burden misophonia can create in daily life.

Notably, occupational therapy students scored higher on both the MQ and PSS than their audiology peers. The authors propose this may be due to occupational therapy students’ trained focus on sensory processing and sensitivity, which could make them more aware of their own reactions or more attuned to subtle sensory triggers. This finding suggests that personal sensory awareness plays a role in how misophonia is experienced and reported.

Demographic factors also created distinct patterns. While age showed no significant effect, gender, department, and family history produced differences on some sub-scales. Most strikingly, participants who reported they were not receiving psychological support had significantly higher stress scores. This gap underscores the potential mental health impact of unmanaged misophonia and the urgent need for supportive interventions.

Misophonia: More Than an Auditory Problem

The results challenge a simplistic view of misophonia as merely a heightened sensitivity to sound. Instead, they frame it as a condition that interacts with an individual’s emotional regulation, stress response, and ability to adapt to environmental stimuli. The strong link to perceived stress confirms that the condition has substantial psychosocial dimensions.

These findings align with existing literature indicating misophonia symptoms often begin in childhood or adolescence and can persist chronically into adulthood. This pattern reinforces the need for early identification and management strategies that address the whole person, not just their auditory system. For more on managing these challenges in younger populations, see our article on Misophonia Management in Adolescents and Young Adults.

Implications for Treatment and Professional Training

This study has direct practical implications. The high stress scores among those without psychological support highlight a critical gap in care. Developing and promoting accessible strategies for emotional regulation and stress management should be a priority in misophonia treatment plans.

The difference in awareness and scores between occupational therapy and audiology students is instructive for professional education. It suggests that cross-training could be beneficial. Audiologists, who are often the first point of contact for sound tolerance issues, would benefit from deeper training in the sensory and emotional aspects of misophonia. Conversely, occupational therapists could apply their expertise in sensory integration to this population. This aligns with a broader movement toward Integrated Auditory Health.

The authors conclude that a multidisciplinary approach is likely essential for improving treatment outcomes. Effective care may require collaboration between audiologists, occupational therapists, and mental health professionals to address the auditory, sensory, and emotional components of the disorder simultaneously. This approach mirrors developments in related fields, such as using Manual Therapy Jaw Exercises to address the physical contributors to tinnitus, demonstrating the value of looking beyond a single cause.

Reference

Aktan, R. N., Karaağaç, A., & Saygılı, H. N. (2026). The relationship between misophonia symptom severity, perceived stress levels and awareness in university students. Egyptian Journal of Otolaryngology. DOI: 10.1186/s43163-026-01163-8.