The Effect of an Apparent Hearing Device and Hearing Loss Degree on Social Appearance Anxiety and Self-Esteem.

  • Published In: American Journal of Audiology, 2025, v. 34, n. 3. P. 651 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Kara, Halide Çetin; Deniz, Burcu; Çögen, Talha 3 of 3

Abstract

Purpose: Individuals with health loss may refrain from using medical products due to concerns about their appearance. This study aimed to examine the impact of hearing loss (HL) or the use of a hearing device (HD) on social appearance anxiety and self-esteem. Method: The study included 236 adults over the age of 18 years: 74 with normal hearing (NH), 44 with HL (not using HD), 62 with unilateral use of hearing aids (HAs), and 56 with unilateral use of cochlear implants (CIs). Each participant completed the self-esteem subscale of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS). Results: While the SAAS scores of individuals with HL were significantly different from individuals with NH, there was no significant difference for the RSES scores. CI users had higher average SAAS scores compared to HA users. Furthermore, there was a significant negative correlation between SAAS and RSES scores for each group. Conclusions: HL and the use of a visible HD increase social appearance anxiety. Developing intervention programs for those with HL who have social appearance anxiety can improve their participation in social interaction and increase their self-esteem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:American Journal of Audiology. 2025/09, Vol. 34, Issue 3, p651
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Social Sciences and Humanities
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:1059-0889
  • DOI:10.1044/2025_AJA-24-00213
  • Accession Number:187706689
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of American Journal of Audiology is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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