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There are several misophonia questionnaires available for people to use. But how do you know which one is the right one for you?

In this campaign, we ask MRF funded investigators and researchers about their work developing and validating misophonia questionnaires, and why people with misophonia should take the results of one questionnaire or another to their physician. Read on to learn more about the Misophonia Assessment Interview (MAI).

Q: What is the purpose of a questionnaire? How are they used for diagnostic, treatment evaluation, and research purposes?

A: The MAI is a structured clinical interview—not a questionnaire—designed to help diagnose misophonia in youth.

• It’s based on expert consensus criteria and helps standardize how we identify misophonia.
• In research, it ensures consistency in who qualifies as having misophonia.
• Clinically, it supports diagnosis by guiding conversations with both youth and caregivers—there are versions for each.

Q: What does it mean for a questionnaire to be validated? Why is this important?

A: Validation means we’ve tested the tool to make sure it accurately identifies misophonia—not just general anxiety, hyperacusis or other conditions.

• A validated tool should also be reliable—it should give consistent results.
• Without validation, we can’t be confident in the results or use them to guide diagnosis, treatment, or research.

Q: What gaps (clinically and for research purposes) exist with the current questionnaires? And what ongoing research may be in the works to address those?

A: Misophonia still isn’t officially recognized in the DSM or ICD, so we lack a formal diagnostic framework.

• Most tools are self-report questionnaires—not diagnostic interviews.
• The MAI is the first and only structured interview designed to diagnose misophonia.
• We’re also developing a brief screener to help identify who may need further evaluation.

Q: How does the Misophonia Assessment Interview measure misophonia compared to other questionnaires? Has it been validated yet?

A: The MAI is the first structured interview for diagnosing misophonia in youth.

• It’s validated in our 2024 study (Lewin et al., Journal of Clinical Psychology), showing strong alignment with tools like the MQ.
• We’re also comparing it to the Duke and Amsterdam scales.
• It’s sensitive to treatment change, making it useful for tracking progress over time.

Q: Why should someone with misophonia bring the results of the Misophonia Assessment Interview to their clinician/physician over other questionnaires?

A: The MAI is a diagnostic tool meant to be administered by a trained clinician—not a self-report.

• That said, the interview content can help patients and caregivers understand what misophonia looks like and whether symptoms meet proposed criteria.
• Bringing awareness of responses to its items (symptoms, impairment) may help guide more informed conversations with providers.

Q: Are there resources available for clinicians & researchers to learn more about the Misophonia Assessment Interview or how to use it effectively?

A: Yes! Our 2024 paper (Lewin et al., Journal of Clinical Psychology) details the MAI and its validation.

• We’re developing a downloadable manual and training materials for clinicians and researchers—supported by the Misophonia Research Fund.
• Until then, clinicians can contact me and my team directly for guidance.

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To learn more about Dr. Lewin’s work, contact him, or seek care for youth in Florida, please visit the following link. We thank him for his dedication to misophonia research and advocacy.