Counselling and Hearing Impairment

At the end of the course, students should be able to: 1. recognise the need and reason for counselling in audiological practice and apply such knowledge; 2. list out the use and importance of counselling tools for different age groups in audiology; 3. describe some psychotherapeutic techniques used in counselling especially in communication disorder; 4. select the appropriate counselling tools as learnt in the course; 5. demonstrate counselling skill not only on hearing impaired individual but also offer useful information on hearing aids, cochlea implants and their use and maintenance; 6. apply the knowledge of when to refer a patient to a professional counsellor/psychologist; and 7. describe how communication disorders with emphasis on hearing impairment could affect quality of life as well as the impact on family and society in general.

Auditory and non-auditory effects of hearing loss. Psychological effect of hearing impairment. Counselling tools on acceptance of hearing loss and rehabilitation. Stages of acceptance of hearing loss. Personality, gender, family, faith, age, attitude and cultural effect on acceptance. Individual and group counselling techniques. Advantages and disadvantages of individual and group counselling.