Reported benefits of peer support group involvement by adults with hearing loss

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to better understand the benefits of self-help group involvement by adults with hearing loss.

Design: A secondary content analysis of interview transcripts of participants from a previous study on the impact of stigma on help-seeking was carried out.

Study sample: Ten members (aged 55–76 years) of self-help groups for persons with hearing loss in the United States of America and Canada participated in the interviews.

Results: Three themes describing the benefits of self-help group participation emerged: (1) Practical and accessible information about hearing loss; (2) Social belonging leading to personal transformation; and (3) A new and mutually beneficial direction.

Conclusions: The findings are discussed in relation to the “helper therapy principle”, as well as group audiological rehabilitation.

Keywords:

• Adult hearing loss
• peer support
• psycho-social
• group rehabilitation
• advocacy

Acknowledgments

We thank Martine Gendron for comments that greatly improved the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was declared by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by doctoral research funding provided to the first author by Fonds de Recherche en Santé du Québec.