Coping-with-hearing-loss model for older adults

We proposed a copingy-with-hearing-loss model that explains how hearing los s, psychosocial factors (i.e., attitudes about aging, personal adjustment t o hearing loss, and perceived social support), and perceived strategy effec tiveness affect the use of adaptive and maladaptive strategies. Adaptive st rategies are behaviors that improve communication (i.e., asking others to r epeat). Maladaptive strategies are coping behaviors that do not promote com munication (i.e., pretending to understand the conversation). Nonaudiologic al variables were more important than physical hearing loss (as measured by an audiological examination) in predicting coping behaviors for hearing lo ss. The use of adaptive strategies was predicted by perceived strategy effe ctiveness. The use of maladaptive strategies was predicted by perceived eff ectiveness of the strategies to cope with hearing loss in daily life, poor adjustment to hearing loss, and poor social support. The results suggest th at psychosocial issues may need to be addressed when older adults hare diff iculties coping with their hearing loss.