Role of Social Relationships in the Experiences of Misophonia
Keywords:
Misophonia, Social Relationships, Person-Specific Triggers, Attachment Patterns, Social BelongingnessAbstract
Objective: Misophonia is a chronic condition in which a person reports intense emotional response and autonomic arousal to specific sounds. It is not a categorized disorder or has a set of symptoms, though a diagnostic criterion has been suggested. The present study aims to understand the role of social relationships in the development and maintenance of Misophonia. Design: Using MisoQuest, a tool for assessing Misophonic tendencies, eleven participants were shortlisted for a phenomenological inquiry of their Misophonia experiences. With the Bio-psycho-social model as a reference point, the research was conceptualized and analyzed thematically. Results: The experience of Misophonia across the participants showed similar patterns in terms of heightened auditory reception of the trigger and intense emotional response. The study found two main classifications: Person-Specific Triggers (PST) and non-Person-Specific Triggers (n-PST). With PSTs, which mainly were family members of the participants, the response to Misophonia was more intense, and the relationship with them was found to be conflictual, emotionally distant, and unsupportive. On the other hand, n-PSTs did not elicit an intense response. Conclusions: The impact of Misophonia was found in the social setting in the form of withdrawal, poor relationships, less social belongingness, and lack of awareness leading to invalidation. The present study implicates healthcare professionals to be more informed about the psychosocial experience of Misophonia. Simultaneously, understanding the role of attachment patterns and social belongingness creates a possibility of developing holistic therapy approaches, intervention programs, and community awareness.
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