Prevalence of Misophonia in Mumbai Healthcare Study

Researchers Suman Chalotra, Nirali Chauhan, and Deepa Valame have successfully translated a key tool for diagnosing misophonia into Marathi, a language spoken by over 83 million people in India. Their work, published in *Scientific Reports*, means clinicians can now assess this sound tolerance disorder more effectively in a major population. The study also provided one of the first snapshots of misophonia prevalence in an Indian community.

**How Researchers Validated the Marathi Misophonia Questionnaire**

The team translated the Amsterdam Misophonia Questionnaire (A-MISO-S) following established medical translation guidelines. This involved forward-translating the English questionnaire to Marathi, then having a different translator blindly translate it back to English to check for accuracy. Audiologists then reviewed the Marathi version for face validity, ensuring the questions made sense in a clinical context.

They administered the final questionnaire via face-to-face interviews with 227 individuals. Participants with known hearing loss or psychological conditions were excluded. To rigorously test the translation, thirty people fluent in both English and Marathi completed the questionnaire in both languages, two weeks apart. This allowed the researchers to check if both versions produced consistent results. Statistical analyses included tests for internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and factor analysis to confirm the questionnaire’s structure held up in Marathi.

**Key Findings: Prevalence, Gender, and a Reliable Tool**

The data showed the Marathi A-MISO-S is a robust tool. It achieved a Cronbach’s alpha score of 0.82, indicating good internal consistency, and demonstrated strong test-retest reliability. The factor analysis confirmed its internal structure was sound.

Using this validated tool, the researchers found that 11% of their participant sample exhibited moderate to severe symptoms of misophonia. This figure provides an important initial estimate for the condition’s presence in this demographic. A significant gender difference emerged: females were more likely to experience misophonia than males (p = 0.03). No significant association was found between misophonia and the age of participants. This gender finding aligns with some global trends in sound intolerance research and suggests a need to explore biological or sociocultural factors at play.

**Practical Implications for Clinics and Patients in India**

This study has direct practical applications. The Marathi A-MISO-S is now a validated instrument that audiologists, ENT specialists, and psychologists in Maharashtra and other Marathi-speaking regions can use to screen for and diagnose misophonia. Accurate diagnosis is the essential first step toward management, which can include cognitive behavioral therapy, sound therapy, and counseling.

The 11% prevalence rate highlights that misophonia is not a rare curiosity but a condition affecting a substantial portion of the community. This underscores a need for greater awareness among both healthcare providers and the public. Many individuals suffering from strong emotional reactions to sounds like chewing, tapping, or breathing may not know their experience has a name or that management strategies exist. The lack of epidemiological data in India, noted by the authors, makes this localized study even more valuable.

The gender finding also has clinical implications. It suggests clinicians should be particularly attentive to female patients reporting sound-related distress, while not dismissing its occurrence in males. Understanding why this disparity exists requires more research into potential links with other psychological or auditory processing factors. For instance, the complex relationships between tinnitus, anxiety, and sound tolerance disorders are an active area of study that may inform future misophonia research.

**Filling a Gap and Pointing to Future Research**

This work directly addresses a gap in Indian audiology and mental health resources. By providing a linguistically and culturally appropriate diagnostic tool, it facilitates better care. The study also adds a data point to the global understanding of misophonia, suggesting its prevalence in their sampled Indian community is comparable to figures reported in some Western studies.

The authors call for future research to explore the factors contributing to misophonia, including its complex relationship with gender. Larger, population-based studies across different Indian regions and languages are needed to confirm and expand on these findings. Investigating misophonia alongside co-occurring conditions like hyperacusis or tinnitus could also clarify shared mechanisms. Furthermore, exploring patient well-being and suffering in the context of misophonia can help tailor more effective, holistic interventions.

Ultimately, the translation and validation of the A-MISO-S into Marathi is more than an academic exercise. It is a practical step toward recognizing and addressing the distress of thousands who may have previously struggled in silence.

*Source: Chalotra, S., Chauhan, N., & Valame, D. (2024). Translation and validation of Amsterdam Misophonia Questionnaire (A-MISO-S) in Marathi language. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 28920. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43163-026-01108-1*