Most people have a comfortable tolerance for incoming sensory information (sounds, tastes, smells etc.) while others have sensory sensitivities which can make daily life difficult. One example is sensitivity to sounds, and there are several ways this can present. For people with MISOPHONIA, certain sounds such as chewing cause an extreme emotional response such as anger, disgust or anxiety; and for people with HYPERACUSIS, loud sounds cause the ears to physically hurt. Sensory sensitivity can have a negative impact on mental well-being, and also plays a role in a number of conditions including autism spectrum conditions, anxiety disorders, and synaesthesia. In turn, poor well-being can have significant financial costs with over £12 billion invested annually by the NHS. Our study has become all the more relevant given the COVID crisis because we are interested in a condition that triggers anxiety/anger/distress, and has particular resonance for family relationships in confined spaces.

These sound sensitivities are poorly understood in adults, and even less so in children. In our project we ask, how do sound sensitivities such as misophonia affect mental well-being, education and attainment? Does misophonia get progressively worse over time? What other mental heath conditions commonly co-occur with misophonia? In answering these questions we can better understand the underlying aetiologies, which in turn will allow us to develop targeted treatments for misophonia.