Satisfaction and speech perception were frequent secondary outcomes .
There was diversity in measures used to report patient outcomes .
Outcome categories other than patient health status and behavior were rarely reported .
This review has highlighted considerable diversity in patient-reported outcome measurements in r and omized control trials in the context of adult auditory rehabilitation .
OBJECTIVES This review documented the range and nature of reported outcome measures in the context of adult auditory rehabilitative research .
Evaluation of an audiological rehabilitation program for spouses of people with hearing loss.
BACKGROUND Since the psychosocial effects of hearing loss are different in the spouse ( SP ) than in the person with hearing loss ( PHL ) , it seems reasonable that rehabilitation programs design ed for PHLs may need to be adapted to benefit SPs . PURPOSE To evaluate the effectiveness of training in communication strategies and psychosocial exercises for SPs of PHLs by determining whether SPs who completed the group class had improved mood , reduced stress , improved marital communication , and greater awareness of their partners ' hearing loss-related quality of life ( HL-QOL ) in comparison with SPs who did not participate in a group class . Additionally , to determine whether PHLs of SPs who participated in a  group audiological rehabilitation ( AR ) class had significantly improved mood , reduced stress , improved marital communication , and better HL-QOL scores in comparison with PHLs whose SPs did not participate in a group class . RESEARCH DESIGN A r and omized controlled study . STUDY SAMPLE A total of 72 individuals participated in the study , 36 PHLs and 36 SPs . The PHLs were hearing aid users or cochlear implant users ; the SPs had normal or near normal hearing . INTERVENTION PHLs in the control group participated in a traditional group AR program while their SPs received no treatment .  PHLs in the experimental group also participated in a traditional group AR program while their SPs participated in a treatment program design ed for SPs of PHLs . Classes consisted of 90 min sessions meeting once a week for four weeks . DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS All participants completed question naires measuring HL-QOL ( the SPs filled out third-party reports of HL-QOL ) , stress , mood ( positive affect and negative affect ) , and communication in the marriage . Scales were completed three times : prior to the AR program , within two weeks after completing the AR program , and 6 mo later . SP awareness of their PHL 's HL-QOL was measured by comparing preclass and 6 mo scores with reported critical difference values . Preclass , postclass and 6 mo data were examined with repeated measures ANOVAs . RESULTS All SPs reported significant improvements in third-party HL-QOL between the preclass and postclass visit . At the 6 mo visit , these reports remained consistent in the control SPs but declined in the experimental SPs . Awareness of HL-QOL in PHLs was improved in SPs who participated in AR classes and remained consistent in SPs who did not . All SPs demonstrated a trend ( moderate effect sizes ) for decreased stress and decreased negative affect after they and /or their partners completed the AR program . All PHLs demonstrated significant improvements in HL-QOL , significant reductions in stress , significant decreases in negative affect , and significant improvements in marital communication . There were no differences in outcome across the experimental and control PHLs . CONCLUSIONS When PHLs participate in an AR program , they receive significant improvements in QOL ( quality of life ) . Congruence ( as defined by similar scores ) between SP and PHL assessment s of HL-QOL improved in the experimental group , suggesting that the principal impact of the AR program on SPs was improved underst and ing of PHL experiences with hearing loss
Satisfaction and speech perception were frequent secondary outcomes .
There was diversity in measures used to report patient outcomes .
Outcome categories other than patient health status and behavior were rarely reported .
This review has highlighted considerable diversity in patient-reported outcome measurements in r and omized control trials in the context of adult auditory rehabilitation .
OBJECTIVES This review documented the range and nature of reported outcome measures in the context of adult auditory rehabilitative research .