4 - (SYM 10) Patient Experiences of Engaging with Sounds Using Inhibitory Learning Principles in CBT for Misophonia

Misophonia involves decreased tolerance to specific sounds, commonly eating and breathing sounds, as well as environmental sounds like typing and noise from neighbours. Cognitive behavioural therapy may be helpful for reducing distress associated with these sounds, and improving daily functioning. However, treatment literature is still in its infancy and is focused on outcomes in relation to distress and impairment, and not on patient experiences of treatment. While many treatment papers describe using trigger sounds as part of treatment, there is no information about the acceptability and usefulness of this approach. Some authors cautioning against a habituation-based exposure approach, recommending instead using inhibitory learning approach. This presentation describes the outcomes of a service evaluation project, which aimed to assess acceptability of sounds-based treatment of misophonia, using inhibitory learning principles, in a specialist psychology outpatient clinic. All patients who had been discharged from the service in the past three years, having attended at least one treatment session, were invited to participate, unless the treating clinician advised that it could cause distress to receive the invitation. Quantitative and qualitative survey data was collected in relation to the acceptability and effectiveness of inhibitory learning techniques, as well as the patient’s perception of what changed in response to receiving these interventions. Patients were offered the option to be interviewed as an alternative to, or in addition to the survey. Qualitative results were analysed using thematic analysis. Themes related to the engagement, effectiveness, change processes and challenges will be discussed in relation wider misophonia treatment literature.