Misophonia in adolescents: clinical correlates and associations with autism-related behavioral characteristics within a clinical context.
7 affiliations
- 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Mamak, Ankara, Türkiye, 06620, Turkey. [email protected].
- 2Autism Intervention and Research Center, Ankara University, Ankara, Türkiye. [email protected].
- 3Department of Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, Ankara University Institute of Health Sciences, Ankara, Türkiye. [email protected].
- 4Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye.
- 5Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Çankırı State Hospital, Çankırı, Türkiye.
- 6Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Mamak, Ankara, Türkiye, 06620, Turkey.
- 7Autism Intervention and Research Center, Ankara University, Ankara, Türkiye.
Abstract
Background
Misophonia is characterized by intense emotional and behavioral reactions to specific sounds and has been associated with psychiatric symptoms and sensory sensitivity. This study investigated the prevalence of misophonia in a clinical adolescent outpatient sample and examined its associations with psychiatric symptoms and autism-related behavioral characteristics.Methods
The study included 200 adolescents aged 12-18 years who were referred to a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic. Psychiatric diagnoses were assessed using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version for DSM-5. Misophonia severity was evaluated with the Amsterdam Misophonia Scale-Revised, while emotional-behavioral problems and autism-related behavioral characteristics were assessed using the Youth Self-Report/11-18. Group comparisons were performed using the chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test, and the Mann-Whitney U test. Spearman's correlation analyses and hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted.Results
Adolescents with misophonia had higher rates of major depressive disorder. They also had significantly higher internalizing and externalizing symptoms and elevated autism-related behavioral characteristics than those without misophonia (all p < 0.001; Z = -5.62, -4.59, and - 5.70, respectively). Hierarchical logistic regression analysis revealed that higher internalizing problem scores independently predicted the presence of misophonia (Nagelkerke R² = 0.226, p < 0.001; OR = 1.07).Conclusions
Misophonia in adolescents appears to be closely associated with broader internalizing psychopathology and emotional-behavioral difficulties within psychiatric outpatient settings. Elevated autism-related behavioral characteristics in adolescents with misophonia support further research into the relationship between misophonia and neurodevelopmental characteristics. Such research may contribute to improving clinical assessment and understanding of behavioral patterns associated with misophonia. However, study limitations and inconsistencies in the literature highlight the need for further research in this area.
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BibTeX
@article{temelturk2026misophonia,
title = {{Misophonia in adolescents: clinical correlates and associations with autism-related behavioral characteristics within a clinical context.}},
author = {Rahime Duygu Temeltürk and Yağmur Özgür Karabiyikioğlu and Kübra Dilara Aynigül and Ezgi Kurtuldu Çeti̇ner and Esra Yürümez},
journal = {BMC pediatrics},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s12887-026-07387-0},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42902279},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Misophonia in adolescents: clinical correlates and associations with autism-related behavioral characteristics within a clinical context.
AU - Rahime Duygu Temeltürk
AU - Yağmur Özgür Karabiyikioğlu
AU - Kübra Dilara Aynigül
AU - Ezgi Kurtuldu Çeti̇ner
AU - Esra Yürümez
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - BMC pediatrics
DO - 10.1186/s12887-026-07387-0
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42902279
AB - Background Misophonia is characterized by intense emotional and behavioral reactions to specific sounds and has been associated with psychiatric symptoms and sensory sensitivity. This study investigated the prevalence of misophonia in a clinical adolescent outpatient sample and examined its associations with psychiatric symptoms and autism-related behavioral characteristics.Methods The study included 200 adolescents aged 12-18 years who were referred to a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic. Psychiatric diagnoses were assessed using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version for DSM-5. Misophonia severity was evaluated with the Amsterdam Misophonia Scale-Revised, while emotional-behavioral problems and autism-related behavioral characteristics were assessed using the Youth Self-Report/11-18. Group comparisons were performed using the chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test, and the Mann-Whitney U test. Spearman's correlation analyses and hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted.Results Adolescents with misophonia had higher rates of major depressive disorder. They also had significantly higher internalizing and externalizing symptoms and elevated autism-related behavioral characteristics than those without misophonia (all p < 0.001; Z = -5.62, -4.59, and - 5.70, respectively). Hierarchical logistic regression analysis revealed that higher internalizing problem scores independently predicted the presence of misophonia (Nagelkerke R² = 0.226, p < 0.001; OR = 1.07).Conclusions Misophonia in adolescents appears to be closely associated with broader internalizing psychopathology and emotional-behavioral difficulties within psychiatric outpatient settings. Elevated autism-related behavioral characteristics in adolescents with misophonia support further research into the relationship between misophonia and neurodevelopmental characteristics. Such research may contribute to improving clinical assessment and understanding of behavioral patterns associated with misophonia. However, study limitations and inconsistencies in the literature highlight the need for further research in this area.
SN - 1471-2431
ER -