Sensory Processing, Dissociation, and Affective Symptoms in Misophonia: A Cross-Sectional Study of 35 Adults

BACKGROUND Misophonia provokes intense reactions to everyday sounds and is linked to sensory and psychiatric symptoms; the role of dissociation remains unclear, so we compared these features in adults with misophonia and controls. MATERIAL AND METHODS In a cross-sectional online survey, adults aged 18-65 years (n=86) were classified into a misophonia group (n=35) and controls (n=51) using the Misophonia Questionnaire (MisoQuest; cut-off ≥7). Sensory processing was assessed with the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (A/ASP), dissociation with the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), and depression, anxiety, and stress with the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Between-group comparisons used independent t tests or Mann-Whitney U and χ² (Monte Carlo when needed); associations used Spearman correlations; predictors were examined via hierarchical multiple regression (two-tailed alpha=.05). RESULTS The misophonia group scored higher than controls on misophonia symptoms, sensory sensitivity, avoidance, dissociative experiences, depression, anxiety, and stress (all P<.001). Misophonia symptoms correlated with sensory sensitivity (r=.717, P<.001), dissociation (r=.348, P<.001), and psychological distress (r=.440, P<.001). In regression, sensory sensitivity (ß=.308, P=.025), avoidance (ß=.319, P=.010), and seeking (ß=.239, P=.004) independently predicted MisoQuest scores; demographic and psychiatric covariates were non-significant (all P≥.05). CONCLUSIONS Misophonia is characterized by heightened sensory sensitivity and avoidance, with moderate links to dissociation, supporting routine assessment of these sensory and psychiatric domains.