Motivation to address self-reported hearing problems in adults with normal hearing thresholds

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the motivation to change in relation to hearing problems in adults with normal hearing thresholds but who report hearing problems and that of adults with a mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Factors related to their motivation were also assessed. Method: The motivation to change in relation to self-reported hearing problems was measured using the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (McConnaughy, Prochaska, & Velicer, 1983). The relationship between objective and subjective measures and an adult’s motivation was examined. Results: The level of hearing handicap did not differ significantly between adults with normal hearing who reported problems hearing in background noise and adults who had a mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Hearing handicap, personal distress, and minimization of hearing loss were factors significantly related to motivation. Age, degree of hearing loss, speech-in-noise scores, working memory, and extended high-frequency average thresholds were not significantly related to their motivation. Conclusions: Adults with normal hearing thresholds but self-reported hearing problems had the same level of hearing handicap and were equally motivated to take action for their hearing problems as age-matched adults with a mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Hearing handicap, personal distress, and minimization of hearing loss were most strongly correlated with an individual’s motivation to change.