Loudness tolerance level among individuals with misophonia: A psychoacoustic assessment

Abstract Objective: Our study aims to investigate loudness tolerance ability among individuals with misophonia. By focusing on this specific aspect, we aim to contribute to a better understanding of misophonia and shed light on the underlying auditory mechanisms involved in the disorder. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed with students from the University of Mysore. The revised Amsterdam Misophonia Scale was used to determine the severity of misophonia. The participants were divided into three groups based on their misophonia severity: control, mild, and moderate to severe. The loudness discomfort level test was conducted among all the participants, and their discomfort level was analyzed across the frequency range. The statistical analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA. Results: The analysis showed a statistically significant difference in the loudness tolerance level at low frequencies between the different groups of misophonia. Further research with a more extensive and diverse population is needed to validate and generalize these findings. Conclusion: Our study’s results contribute to a better understanding of misophonia and shed light on the underlying auditory mechanisms involved in the disorder.