Hearing loss

Socioemotional well-being (SEWB) is the emotional evaluation of social interactions and relationships in daily life and is an essential part of our overall health and well-being.

Hearing loss can negatively affect SEWB through aspects such as increased loneliness, smaller social networks and reduced quality of relationships.

The socioemotional consequences of both hearing loss and hearing-aid treatment can play out differently for different people, dependent on their circumstances, personality, and daily activities.

Dr Jack Holman from the University of Nottingham will develop understanding and reliable measurement of individual SEWB differences, with the aim of advancing the assessment of individual needs and improving the SEWB of people with hearing loss.

Dr Holman will measure different components of SEWB in people with and without hearing loss, and following hearing aid fitting. This will help to identify key individual differences in SEWB and the impact of hearing-aids.

Dr Holman will use the findings to establish a reliable way of measuring the key aspects of SEWB for people with hearing loss, either using existing measures or by creating a new one. Finally, Dr Holman will investigate whether treatments or therapies could improve the SEWB for those who need it.

This project is the first step in developing understanding and interventions to increase the happiness and comfort of each person with hearing loss based on their individual needs.