Perceived listening ability and hearing loss: systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis

Sarah E. Hughes*, Isabelle Boisvert, Catherine M. McMahon, Anne Steyn, Katie Neal

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)
55 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background Hearing loss (HL) can affect communication in complex ways. Understanding how adults with HL reflect on and conceptualise the way they listen (metacognition) is required if interventions, and the outcome measures used to evaluate them, are to address barriers to functional communication arising from HL. Objectives This study describes how adults with HL experience and report the processes, behaviours, and components of listening, as presented in published studies. Design Systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. Methods Systematic searches identified English-language, peer-reviewed journal articles reporting the results of qualitative or mixed-methods studies of adults’ with HL perceived listening abilities. Medline, PsychInfo, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched from inception to November 2021. Handsearching reference lists of included studies identified additional studies for inclusion. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) qualitative checklist was used to appraise studies’ methodological quality. Data from included studies were analysed using thematic meta-synthesis. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of QUALitative (CERQual) approach assessed confidence in the review findings. Two reviewers independently completed all screening and quality appraisal. Thematic meta-synthesis and GRADE CERQual assessment was completed by one reviewer and confirmed by a second reviewer. Discrepancies were resolved through discussion. Results Data from 46 studies were included in the review. Thematic meta-synthesis identified six descriptive themes: 1) perceived listening ability; 2) external modifiers; 3) psychosocial impacts of hearing loss; 4) communication partner perspectives; 5) self-efficacy for listening; and 6) cognitive load. GRADE CERQual ratings for descriptive themes ranged from low to moderate confidence. Descriptive themes were related by analytic themes of liminality and reciprocity. Conclusions Adults with HL provide in-depth accounts of components and processes of listening, with studies reporting both cognitive and affective experiences consistent with theoretical models of metacognition. The findings will inform content generation for a hearing-specific patient-reported outcome measure of perceived listening ability in everyday communication.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0276265
Pages (from-to)1-25
Number of pages25
JournalPLoS ONE
Volume17
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2022

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2022. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Perceived listening ability and hearing loss: systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this