5th May 2026
We recently published a scoping review exploring how people respond to listening difficulty in in-person conversation. We examined 81 studies and found a wide array of both behavioural and affective responses exhibited by people with and without hearing loss, and by their communication partners.
We created a framework highlighting these key responses, grouping them into themes and categories. Examples of responses reported by people with hearing loss included requesting repetition/clarification, informing others of hearing loss and communication needs, and requesting accommodation from communication partners. We also found that people with normal hearing seem to respond to difficulty in many of the same ways as people with hearing loss, including some responses that are often considered stereotypical ‘hard of hearing’ behaviours.
Results from this review enhance our understanding of the specific responses exhibited by adults experiencing listening difficulty and their communication partners, which can help improve future hearing rehabilitation by making it most relevant to natural responses.
If you are interested, you can read the full review here: