Brianna Lowry | 2025 I.S. Symposium

Name: Brianna Lowry
Title: Suddenly It’s Gone: An Evaluation of Clinical Audiologists and Audiology Doctoral Students on Counseling Adult Patients Diagnosed with Unilateral Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Major: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Minor: Education
Advisors: Donald Goldberg; Cara Hammond

The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of knowledge and comfort Clinical Audiologists and Audiology Doctoral Students reported when counseling adult patients with unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). Specifically, the study aimed to assess their self-evaluated degree of knowledge and comfort in identifying and evaluating the emotional distress and frequency of referring patients to other professionals in order to enhance quality of life. Because determination of the etiology of SSNHL is challenging as only about 30% of cases have an identifiable cause (Ying et al., 2024, p. S1), for the remaining 70% who are idiopathic, no clear cause can be determined, which is often most unsettling to patients. Given the unpredictable nature and potential emotional impact of SSNHL, effective counseling plays a crucial role in helping patients cope with their diagnosis of SSNHL. The study’s findings indicated the Clinical Audiologists and Au.D. Students reported similar knowledge and comfort levels in most areas of counseling, with the notable exception that Clinical Audiologists have more experience in developing their counseling skills, therefore they were more confident in most probed areas. Interestingly, Au.D. Students reported they were more prepared to counsel adult patients with a unilateral SSNHL than were the Clinical Audiologists. This suggests that while graduate training programs have increased their focus on counseling coursework, there remains a need for continued education and training to ensure all audiologists are well-prepared to provide comprehensive patient care when navigating this complex condition.

Key Words: unilateral hearing loss, sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), Clinical Audiologists, Au.D. Students, counseling, emotional distress, quality of life, referral, and counseling coursework.

Posted in Symposium 2025 on May 1, 2025.