PP1308 - Mapping the Emotional Landscape of Trigger Sounds in Individuals With and Without Misophonia

Abstract:
Misophonia, a condition marked by intense negative emotional reactions to specific sounds, often disrupts daily life. In the current study, participants with and without misophonia completed the Duke-Vanderbilt Misophonia Screening Questionnaire and rated emotional responses to 32 common trigger sounds (e.g. chewing, slurping, breathing), selecting primary emotion category (e.g. anger, irritation) and intensity levels (0-10). Preliminary findings reveal significant differences in the categories of emotional reactions elicited as well as the intensity of the emotional reactions between groups. Heat maps demonstrate striking differences in the pattern of reactions, enhancing the understanding of misophonia's unique emotional profile.

Summary:
Misophonia, a condition where specific sounds evoke intense negative emotional reactions, can have a significant impact on daily life. Although prior research has documented heightened emotional responses, few studies have systematically compared the specific emotions and the intensity of the reactions to common problematic sounds (such as chewing or other mouth/oral sounds) between those with and without misophonia.

Participants in the current study completed an online survey including the Duke-Vanderbilt Misophonia Screening Questionnaire (DVMS-Q, Williams, 2021) to classify their misophonia status (no misophonia, subclinical, clinical). They then rated emotional responses to a list of 32 common trigger sounds using the S-Five Trigger List (Vitoratou et al., 2021), covering various environmental, vocal, and bodily sounds. For each sound, participants chose one of six primary emotions (no feeling, anger, disgust, irritation, distress, panic) and rated the intensity of the response on a 0-10 scale.

To date, 140 participants have completed the survey, with 108 identified as having subclinical or clinical misophonia, and 32 as not having misophonia per DVSMQ criteria. Preliminary findings reveal distinct differences in emotional reactions to sounds between groups. In the misophonia group, 81% of sounds elicited reactions across participants, with irritation (27%), anger (27%), and disgust (16%) being the most common. By contrast, in the non-misophonia group, only 51% of sounds elicited emotional reactions, with irritation being the most frequent response (39%), followed by disgust (7%). Anger comprised only 1% of the total reactions in the non-misophonia group. Plotting the percentage of endorsements for each emotional category across trigger sounds vividly illustrated distinct emotional landscapes between groups. Chi-square analyses confirmed significant differences in the distribution of emotional reactions between groups and sounds.

Beyond the type of emotional response, the intensity ratings (0 for no reaction to 10 for intense reaction) highlighted further differences in reaction profiles between groups. Although irritation was the most common reaction in both groups, the mean intensity rating was generally lower than the emotions of anger, distress, and panic for those with misophonia. Initial t-tests indicated significant differences (p < .001) in the intensity of reactions to commonly problematic sounds across groups. Specifically, for the misophonia group, sounds like chewing, gum smacking, and normal eating noises elicited the highest intensity ratings (mean = 8.3, 6.2, and 5.9 respectively). In contrast, the non-misophonia group reacted most intensely to sounds like coughing, slurping, and snoring (mean 2.7, 2.4, and 2.4 respectively).

These findings contribute to understanding misophonia’s unique emotional profile, identifying key emotional response patterns —such as the high-intensity anger and irritation responses to specific sounds related to chewing/eating —that distinguish it from other sound sensitivities and normal annoyance/irritation levels to such sounds. Data collection is ongoing, with an expanding sample size to equalize groups and planned examination of additional variables, including gender, age, and other demographics, to further refine our understanding of the emotional reaction pattern in misophonia. This research underscores the importance of recognizing misophonia as a unique condition with significant emotional and psychological impacts.