Table 3.

Example PREM items—the first 15 items before and after the cognitive interviews (versions 14 and 22, respectively).

Example PREM items (V.14)—pre‐cognitive interviews	Example PREM items (V.22)—post‐cognitive interviews
1. I feel confident to say if I haven't heard someone/something	1. I feel confident telling people when I haven't heard them
2. Other people don't seem to realise when I have not heard something	2. It is an ongoing struggle to hear others
3. I have to work hard to communicate with others (e.g. ask people to repeat themselves)	3. I am frustrated by my hearing problems
4. I am frustrated by my hearing problems	4. I feel lonely when I can't hear and others can
5. I am confident in social situations with my hearing	5. When I speak to people for the first time, I tell them about my hearing
6. My hearing makes me feel lonely	6. There are certain situations where I feel really left out
7. I talk to others about how my hearing affects me	7. I avoid activities I used to enjoy because of my hearing
8. I feel left out from other people at social gatherings or work	8. I have to concentrate more because of struggling to hear
9. Family and friends are helpful with my hearing	9. I worry what people think of me because I can't hear everything
10. I avoid activities I used to enjoy because of my hearing	10. I am confident talking to people in background noise
11. I have to concentrate more because of my hearing	11. I notice the problems caused by not hearing
12. I feel like others do not understand my difficulties with hearing	12. Over the last week, I have worried my hearing will get worse in the future
13. I worry about what others think of me because of my hearing (e.g., family and friends or people I meet)	13. Over the last week, I have felt unsafe when I am out because I don't hear what is going on around me
14. I understand why I hear the way I do	14. Trying to hear can be exhausting
15. I can access practical solutions to help me (e.g. digital solutions, captions or devices)	15. Family and friends support me with my hearing