Alex Griffiths-Brown,
BSc(Hons), MRes,
Audiologist,
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust,
Shrewsbury, UK.
E: alex.griffiths-brown@nhs.net@griffithsbrown1
Whether using ‘client centred counselling’ [1] when seeing adult hearing aid patients, employing motivational interviewing [2] during tinnitus consultations or considering the stages of change [3] when trying to encourage behavioural change, psychology has a huge role to play in our clinical work. First up in this edition, we have an article from Psychologist and Counsellor, Dr Jennifer Jo Brout. Dr Brout is one of the leading specialists in the field of misophonia and in this issue she explores misophonia classification, research, and guidelines for the role of the clinician when managing this patient group.
As our patients become more technologically savvy, it’s important that the services that we provide are easily accessible, and internet-based interventions allow to offer a brilliant opportunity for certain patient groups. Telecare and internet-based services were discussed in the last edition of this magazine and continuing this theme is Dr Eldré Beukes who shares her work looking at internet based CBT (ICBT) for adults with tinnitus.
In England, recent research has suggested that one in six people report common mental health problems (eg. anxiety or depression) in any given week [4] and these statistics are similarly on the rise around the world. It is important therefore that we have an awareness of the possibility of comorbid psychological disorders when managing audiology patients. In his article, Dr Hashir Aazh discusses tools clinicians can use to screen for psychological disorders when seeing patients presenting with hyperacusis and suggests the next steps to take if screening tools give positive results.
‘Psychogenic vestibular disorders’, also known as ‘functional vertigo and dizziness’, are common causes of dizziness and balance difficulty. Drs Diego Kaski and Amy Edwards explain how these disorders are classified and diagnosed, as well as suggesting a multidisciplinary treatment approach.
Finally, we have an article from Dr Helen Chilton, who is a lecturer in Deaf Education at the University of Manchester. In this edition, Dr Chilton offers a viewpoint of psychology in relation to child development and theory of mind in children with a permanent hearing loss. It offers a brilliant insight into some of the subtle things that are missed by children with hearing loss and things that parents and professionals can do to try to overcome such issues.
References
1. Rogers C. A Theory of Therapy, Personality and Interpersonal Relationships as Developed in the Client-centered Framework. In: Koch S, (Ed.). Psychology: A Study of a Science. Vol. 3: Formulations of the Person and the Social Context. New York, USA; McGraw Hill; 1959.
2. Miller WR, Rollnick S, (Eds.). Motivational interviewing: preparing people to change addictive behaviour. New York, USA; Guilford Press; 1991.
3. Prochaska JO, DiClemente CC. Stages and processes of self-change of smoking: toward an integrative model of change. J Consult Clin Psychol 1983;51(3):390-5.
4. McManus S, Bebbington P, Jenkins R, Brugha T, (Eds.). Mental health and wellbeing in England: Adult psychiatric morbidity survey 2014. Leeds, UK; NHS digital; 2016.
