Date of Award:

12-2026

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Psychology

Committee Chair(s)

Michael P. Twohig (committee chair), Michael E. Levin (committee co-chair)

Committee

Michael P. Twohig

Committee

Michael E. Levin

Committee

G. Tyler Lefevor

Committee

Sara Boghosian

Committee

Karen Muñoz

Abstract

Misophonia is a condition where certain everyday sounds, such as chewing or breathing, can trigger intense emotional reactions and interfere with daily life. Although research on treatments for misophonia is growing, many people still have limited access to effective care. This study tested whether acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) could be helpful when delivered through a fully self-guided online program. A total of 102 adults with significant misophonia symptoms participated in the study. Half received access to an eight-session online ACT program, while the other half were asked to wait before starting the program. Participants completed questionnaires before, during, and after the program, as well as one and two months later. People who completed the ACT program showed greater decreases in misophonia symptoms than those in the waitlist group, and these improvements were maintained for two months after the program ended. Participants receiving ACT also became better able to respond flexibly to difficult experiences and reported reductions in anxiety and stress. There were no differences on depression or overall well-being between groups. Participants generally found the program easy to use and were satisfied with the intervention content. Overall, these findings suggest that a fully self-guided online ACT program may be a helpful and accessible treatment option for adults with misophonia.

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Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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