ORIGINAL PAPER
Coping strategies and social environment of patients with sudden hearing loss
Submission date: 2018-02-01
Final revision date: 2018-03-09
Acceptance date: 2018-03-10
Online publication date: 2018-04-23
Publication date: 2018-04-23
Health Psychology Report 2018;6(3):216–221
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background:
Hearing impairment has a significant physiological, psychological, and social impact on one’s life. The primary aim of this study was to explore which coping strategies are most frequently used by patients with a sudden hearing impairment within the period of just a few days after the first symptoms appear.
Participants and procedure:
Sixty-four patients were asked to complete the coping inventory COPE between the first and the fifth day following the diagnosis of hearing loss.
Results:
The start of hearing impairment acts as a trigger for the use of a problem-solving coping strategy. Social support from the family represents an important source of help for patients with sudden hearing loss. Humour as a coping strategy was found to be used as a means of easing the current unfavourable situation and concealing one´s emotions from others.
Conclusions:
Active coping and seeking social support were the most frequently used coping strategies.
Hearing impairment has a significant physiological, psychological, and social impact on one’s life. The primary aim of this study was to explore which coping strategies are most frequently used by patients with a sudden hearing impairment within the period of just a few days after the first symptoms appear.
Participants and procedure:
Sixty-four patients were asked to complete the coping inventory COPE between the first and the fifth day following the diagnosis of hearing loss.
Results:
The start of hearing impairment acts as a trigger for the use of a problem-solving coping strategy. Social support from the family represents an important source of help for patients with sudden hearing loss. Humour as a coping strategy was found to be used as a means of easing the current unfavourable situation and concealing one´s emotions from others.
Conclusions:
Active coping and seeking social support were the most frequently used coping strategies.
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