Hearing-aid counseling: Comparison of single-session informational counseling with single-session performance-perceptual counseling

Objective: Hearing-aid counseling can improve outcome but programs are often too resource-intensive to be clinically practical. Here we examined the effectiveness of single-session informational counseling with single-session performance-perceptual counseling. Design: Two forms of counseling were compared: informational counseling (IC) and performance-perceptual counseling (PPC). IC focused on discussing communication strategies and tips for hearing-aid use. PPC addressed the discrepancy between measured and perceived ability to understand speech. Outcomes were measured eight-to-ten weeks post-counseling using quantitative and qualitative measures: Hearing handicap inventory, abbreviated profile of hearing aid benefit, psychosocial impact of assistive devices scale (PIADS), international outcome inventory for hearing aids, and a semi-structured exit interview. Study sample: Seventy-four hearing aid-users with symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss participated. Results: Scores on the hearing questionnaires showed no change following either form of counseling. Scores on the PIADS improved for participants as a whole, and the semi-structured interview revealed increased hearing-aid use, better understanding and acceptance of hearing loss, increased use of communication strategies, and improved ability to explain hearing difficulties to others. Conclusions: A single session of hearing-aid counseling can improve hearing-aid use and satisfaction. Open-ended interview and/or quality of life measures are more sensitive to these benefits than hearing questionnaires.