Prevalence of Misophonia in High School Students: A Cross Sectional Study

Misophonia is a disorder characterized by decreased tolerance to specific sounds or stimuli associated with these sounds, such as oral, nasal, or instrument-generated noises. Reported prevalence rates vary widely, ranging from 5% to 49%, with limited studies among children. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of misophonia among children presenting to a public hospital for any reason. 1,006 high school students attending six high schools in Kahta district of Adıyaman province, voluntarily participated in the study. Each completed a sociodemographic data form and the Misophonia Questionnaire. Clinically significant misophonia was found in 49.7% (n = 500) of students. Higher misophonia scores were observed among female students, those reporting high stress during exam periods, those with poor parental relationships, and those with poor general health (p < 0.05). Students who described themselves as introverted, emotional, indecisive, rule-oriented, ambitious, or detail-oriented had significantly higher misophonia scores than their peers (p < 0.05). This study demonstrates a high prevalence of clinically significant misophonia among high school students in Türkiye and highlights its association with various stress factors and certain personality traits. Future research should focus on individuals with elevated misophonia symptoms to determine, through standardized clinical evaluations, the proportion that meets the criteria for a clinical disorder and to investigate the related sociodemographic and clinical features and the course of the condition.