Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Relatedness with Stress Perception, Coping Styles and Temperament and Personality Traits

Abstract

Objective: Literature knowledge about the etiology of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL) is limited. In many cases any cause cannot be demonstrated and the disease is termed as idiopathic. We aimed to compare the sudden hearing loss patients with healthy controls, in terms of their stress perception, coping styles and temperament and character traits. We hypothesized that ISSHL patients have higher stress levels and they are more sensitive to stressfull conditions. Method: The study was conducted with a total of 94 participants, consisting of 44 patients with a diagnosis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss and 50 healthy controls'. Any participant with a psychiatric disease, history of medical treatment for psychiatric or organic brain disorder were excluded from the study. All participants were evaluated by self reports of The Perceived Stress Scale, Coping Inventory, for Stressful Situations Temperament and Character Inventory (TC) applied to the patients on the day of their hospitalization. Results: Compaired to healty controls, patients with ISSHL had higher perceived stress scores, lower harm avoidance scores and higher reward dependence scores when compaired to controls. The ways of coping with stres were not different in-between the patients with sudden hearing loss and healthy controls. Moreover there was no correlation between the perceived stress levels and temperament and personality traits in groups. Conclusion: In the present study, ISSHL patients had higher stress levels, lower harm avoidance, and higher reward dependence scores compaired to controls. These findings point out the importance of psychosocial factors in the etiology of ISSHL. ISSHL patients should be evaluated together with consultation-liaison psychiatry outpatient clinic, character, temperament characteristics and stress perception should be taken into conside.