Public awareness of Misophonia in U.S. adults: a Population-based study

Misophonia was initially described in 2001 as a specific sensitivity to certain sounds (e.g., chewing, pen clicking). Despite greater recognition of misophonia over the last two decades, the extent of awareness of misophonia in the general public is unknown. Extensive research emphasizes the importance of public awareness in recognition and treatment of mental disorders and medical conditions. Awareness of misophonia is important for the continued advancement of misophonia research and identification of individuals with misophonia. As an important first step, this study investigated the general public’s understanding of misophonia. Data were collected through Ipsos KnowledgePanel, which maintains a large, probability-based web panel designed to be representative of the United States. Panel members were invited to complete a brief survey, and the final sample was comprised of 4,005 participants (51.5% female). A small portion of individuals (11.3%, n = 451) recognized misophonia. A multivariate binary logistic regression model revealed that individuals who were female, younger, White/non-Hispanic, had a Bachelor’s degree or higher, or reported an annual income between $75,000 - $99,000 were significantly more likely to endorse misophonia recognition. Most participants who were familiar with misophonia reported an accurate understanding about misophonia; yet, low level of knowledge. The internet was most commonly identified as the primary information source. Findings highlight the low level of misophonia awareness among laypersons and emphasize the need to increase public knowledge of misophonia.