Negotiating uncertainty and responsibility after a vestibular schwannoma diagnosis: a qualitative study of meaning-making and surgical decision-making

A diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma (VS) confronts patients with complex treatment decisions under conditions of uncertainty. While previous research has focused on treatment outcomes, symptom trajectories, and predictors of treatment choice, less is known about how patients psychologically process the diagnosis and construct meaning before surgery....

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No actionable change to clinical practice; however, findings highlight the importance of shared decision-making support and psychological counseling for vestibular schwannoma patients facing treatment choices under uncertainty.

Understanding the emotional and cognitive burden patients carry during vestibular schwannoma decision-making can help audiologists and neurotology teams design better counseling and shared decision-making frameworks.

1. 01Qualitative study exploring patient meaning-making after vestibular schwannoma (VS) diagnosis.
2. 02Patients reported navigating significant uncertainty when deciding between surgical and non-surgical management.
3. 03Sense of personal responsibility for treatment outcomes was a prominent psychological theme.
4. 04Findings inform how clinicians can better support patients emotionally during decision-making.
5. 05Published in BMC Psychology; evidence is qualitative and not generalizable in the traditional statistical sense.

PMID

42701190

DOI

10.1186/s40359-026-05506-1.

Journal

BMC Psychology

Publication type

research_article

Evidence level

4

Population

Patients diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma considering or having undergone surgical treatment

Intervention

Qualitative interviews exploring meaning-making and surgical decision-making