Erik Jorgensen, Au.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Director, Soundscape & Audiology Research Laboratory
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Hearing-related behavior and social-emotional health
Hearing loss is associated with negative social-emotional health outcomes, particularly increased loneliness and depression. The reasons for this are unclear. A popular theory is that hearing loss leads to an avoidance of acoustically challenging environments as well as disengagement within those environments. Over time, this social isolation can lead to increased feelings of loneliness and depression. Recent work in our lab has focused on empirically testing this theory and developing a general framework around hearing-related behaviors and their specific connections to social-emotional health outcomes. In this talk, I will first present results from a study that supports a moderated mediation model linking speech-in-noise exposure, speech perception in noise, loneliness, and depression among young adults with audiometrically normal hearing. Then, I will discuss recent evidence that shows that hearing aid use among older adults with hearing loss may be associated with increased social isolation poorer social-emotional health outcomes. The talk will conclude by discussing clinical implications for auditory rehabilitation and the need for a broader conceptualization of audiologic intervention outcomes.