Group Aural Rehabilitation Programme
A structured, facilitated intervention delivered to multiple hearing-impaired participants simultaneously, combining informational, psychosocial, and skills-based components of rehabilitation.
Full Definition
A group aural rehabilitation programme (GARP) is a structured format for delivering aural rehabilitation to multiple participants at once, typically in sessions of four to ten individuals over a series of weeks. Group programmes such as Active Communication Education (ACE) and Learning to Hear Again combine audiological education, communication strategies training, peer support, and device management skills in a cost-effective format that also harnesses the psychosocial benefits of shared experience. Editors should note that 'programme' follows British spelling conventions in most published clinical guidelines, while 'program' is used in North American publications; house style should be applied consistently. GARP should not be used as a standalone acronym without prior definition, as it is not universally standardised. The document type is a clinical curriculum or course manual, not a single assessment form.
Usage
Usage note: Note British ('programme') vs American ('program') spelling; apply house style consistently. Do not abbreviate to GARP without defining first. Distinguish from individual rehabilitation in study design descriptions.
In Context
- "Participants enrolled in the group aural rehabilitation programme reported greater satisfaction with their hearing aids at the three-month follow-up compared to those who received individual sessions." — Randomised controlled trial
- "The facilitator's manual for the group aural rehabilitation programme should be reviewed for consistency in terminology before distribution." — Editorial brief for training materials