Consensus Definition of Misophonia: A Delphi Study

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Susan E Swedo, PANDAS Physicians Network; David M Baguley, University of Nottingham; Damiaan Denys, Amsterdam University Medical Centers; Laura J Dixon, University of Mississippi; Mercede Erfanian, University College London; Alessandra Fioretti, Tinnitus Center, European Hospital; Pawel Jastreboff, Emory University; Sukhbinder Kumar, Newcastle University; Zachary Rosenthal, Duke University; Romke Rouw, University of Amsterdam; Daniela Schiller, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Julia Simner, University of Sussex; Eric A Storch, Baylor College of Medicine; Steven Taylor, University of British Columbia; Kathy R Vander Werff, Syracuse University; Cara M Altimus, Milken Institute School of Public Health; Sylvina M Raver, Milken Institute School of Public Health
• Language: English
• Date: 2022-03-17
• Publisher: FRONTIERS MEDIA SA
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2022 Swedo, Baguley, Denys, Dixon, Erfanian, Fioretti, Jastreboff, Kumar, Rosenthal, Rouw, Schiller, Simner, Storch, Taylor, Werff, Altimus and Raver.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.841816
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
• Volume: 16
• Start Page: 841816
• End Page: 841816
• Grant/Funding Information: The authors thank The REAM Foundation for their support of the consensus definition project (Grant No. 7894 to the Milken Institute Center for Strategic Philanthropy).
• Keywords: emotional dysregulation; COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY; medical definitions; sensory sensitivities; Neurosciences & Neurology; PHENOMENOLOGY; misophonia; HYPERACUSIS; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; sound sensitivity (auditory sensitivity); misophonia triggers; Science & Technology; SOUND SENSITIVITY SYNDROME; Neurosciences; DISTRESS; TINNITUS; consensus building
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Mental Health; Psychology, General

Abstract

Misophonia is a disorder of decreased tolerance to specific sounds or their associated stimuli that has been characterized using different language and methodologies. The absence of a common understanding or foundational definition of misophonia hinders progress in research to understand the disorder and develop effective treatments for individuals suffering from misophonia. From June 2020 through January 2021, the authors conducted a study to determine whether a committee of experts with diverse expertise related to misophonia could develop a consensus definition of misophonia. An expert committee used a modified Delphi method to evaluate candidate definitional statements that were identified through a systematic review of the published literature. Over four rounds of iterative voting, revision, and exclusion, the committee made decisions to include, exclude, or revise these statements in the definition based on the currently available scientific and clinical evidence. A definitional statement was included in the final definition only after reaching consensus at 80% or more of the committee agreeing with its premise and phrasing. The results of this rigorous consensus-building process were compiled into a final definition of misophonia that is presented here. This definition will serve as an important step to bring cohesion to the growing field of researchers and clinicians who seek to better understand and support individuals experiencing misophonia.