Coping-With-Hearing-Loss Model for Older Adults

We proposed a coping-with-hearing-loss model that explains how hearing loss, psychosocial factors (i.e., attitudes about aging, personal adjustment to hearing loss, and perceived social support), and perceived strategy effectiveness affect the use of adaptive and maladaptive strategies. Adaptive strategies are behaviors that improve communication (i.e., asking others to repeat). Maladaptive strategies are coping behaviors that do not promote communication (i.e., pretending to understand the conversation). Nonaudiological variables were more important than physical hearing loss (as measured by an audiological examination) in predicting coping behaviors for hearing loss. The use of adaptive strategies was predicted by perceived strategy effectiveness. The use of maladaptive strategies was predicted by perceived effectiveness of the strategies to cope with hearing loss in daily life, poor adjustment to hearing loss, and poor social support. The results suggest that psychosocial issues may need to be addressed when older adults have difficulties coping with their hearing loss.