Hearing-impaired adults with hearing aids or cochlear implants have been proved to suffer from social isolation and that the under-use of these devices is possibly related to its impact on one's body image. The aim of the research was to evaluate the presence of social phobia and body image preoccupation, handicap perception, social functioning and psychopathological distress in patients with hearing aids or cochlear implant.

A clinical group of 70 hearing aid and/or cochlear implant wearers was compared with a control group of 75 healthy adults (age: 18-65) referred to the ENT Clinic of Modena University from 01/01/09 to 01/ 09/09. Both groups were administered the following psychometric instruments: Social Functioning Questionnaire, Brief Symptom Inventory, Liebowitz Social Phobia Scale, Body Uneasiness Test. Hearing-impaired subjects were also assessed by means of the following tests: International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids, Attitude towards Hearing Loss Questionnaire, Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults.

the case group statistically differed from the control group as to lower level of social functioning (p< .05), higher level of somatization (p< .01), obsessive compulsive behaviour (p< .01), interpersonal sensitivity (p< .01), depression (p< .01), anxiety (p< .05), phobic anxiety (p< .01), paranoid ideation (p< .01), psychoticism (p< .01), social phobia (p< .001) and body image preoccupation (p< .05).

Social phobia and body image preoccupation are critical aspects in determining the psychosocial well-being and the compliance, the benefit and the personal satisfaction of hearing-impaired subjects in using the hearing aid and/or cochlear implant.