Impact of Hearing Loss and Auditory Rehabilitation on Dyads: A Microsocial Perspective

Hearing loss severely hampers verbal exchange and thus social interaction, which puts a high burden on hearing-impaired and their close partners. Until now, nonverbal interaction in hearing-impaired dyads has not been addressed as a relevant factor for well-being or quality of social relationships. Nonverbal synchrony of head- and body-movement was analysed in N = 30 dyads of persons with hearing impairment (PHI) and their significant others (SO). In a 10-minute conversation before (T1) and 6 months after cochlear implantation (T2), Motion Energy Analysis (MEA) automatically quantified head- and body-movement. Self-report measures of both dyad members were used to assess aspects of quality of life and closeness in the partnership. After cochlear implantation, nonverbal synchrony showed a downward trend and was less distinct from pseudosynchrony. Higher synchrony was associated with worse hearing-related quality of life, shorter duration of hearing impairment and less closeness in the relationship. This negative association was interpreted as an indication for the effort one has to make to cope with difficulties in a dyad`s relationship. Endorsing a holistic approach in auditory rehabilitation, we propose the assessment of nonverbal synchrony as a suitable tool to detect subtle imbalances in the interpersonal relation between PHI and SO outside conscious control and to provide cues for possible therapeutical strategies.