Abstract
Objective: To explore the ‘active ingredient’ of tinnitus therapy groups. Study design: The design was an inductive qualitative study informed by grounded theory. Eight participants, four from a tinnitus group and four from individual therapy with similar content, were invited to discuss their experiences of tinnitus therapy. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using a constant comparative approach. Results: The findings revealed that group experiences facilitate information exchange and social comparison, which facilitates coping. Conclusions: The human dynamics of groups may have an additional therapeutic benefit.
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Declaration of interest: The author report no conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of the paper.
Appendix 1.
Therapy programme
General information re tinnitus mechanisms
Role of anxiety in tinnitus obtrusiveness
Relaxation
Sound enrichment
Stress management
Impact on relationships
Tinnitus therapy techniques in the news/complementary therapies
Hyperacusis
Management of sleep disturbance
CBT techniques
Mindfulness
Maintenance and long-term goals