Do Group Audiologic Rehabilitation Activities Influence Psychosocial Outcomes?

PURPOSE: To attempt to determine whether group audiologic rehabilitation (AR) content affected psychosocial outcomes. METHOD: A randomized controlled trial with at least 17 participants per group was completed. The 3 treatment groups included a communication strategies training group, a communication strategies training plus psychosocial exercise group, and an informational lecture plus psychosocial exercise group. Evaluations were conducted preclass, postclass, and 6-months postclass; they included hearing loss-related and generic quality of life scales, and a class evaluation form. RESULTS: All treatment groups demonstrated short- and long-term improvement on the hearing loss-related quality of life scale. Minimal differences were measured across treatment groups. A significant difference was observed between the lecture plus psychosocial exercise group and the communication strategies training group for 1 hearing loss-related quality of life subscale. Better outcomes were measured for the 2 groups with psychosocial exercises versus the communication strategies training group on 1 generic quality of life subscale. The results for the class evaluation did not discriminate among the treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Class content had only a minimal influence on treatment outcomes. Recommended AR class content includes a mix of interventions including information, training, and psychosocial exercises.