Clinical Characteristics of Children and Adolescents with a Primary Tic Disorder

  • Matt W. Specht
  • , Douglas W. Woods
  • , John Piacentini
  • , Lawrence Scahill
  • , Sabine Wilhelm
  • , Alan L. Peterson
  • , Susanna Chang
  • , Hayden Kepley
  • , Thilo Deckersbach
  • , Christopher Flessner
  • , Brian A. Buzzella
  • , Joseph F. McGuire
  • , Sue Levi-Pearl
  • , John T. Walkup

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

72 Scopus citations

Abstract

The clinical characteristics and rates of co-occurring psychiatric conditions in youth seeking treatment for a chronic tic disorder (CTD) were examined. Children and adolescents (N=126) with a primary CTD diagnosis were recruited for a randomized controlled treatment trial. An expert clinician established diagnostic status via semi-structured interview. Participants were male (78.6%), Caucasians (84.9%), mean age 11.7 years (SD = 2.3) with moderate-to-severe tics who met criteria for Tourette's disorder (93.7%). Common co-occurring conditions included attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; 26%), social phobia (21%), generalized anxiety disorder (20%), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD; 19%). Motor and vocal tics with greater intensity, complexity, and interference were associated with increased impairment. Youth with a CTD seeking treatment for tics should be evaluated for non-OCD anxiety disorders in addition to ADHD and OCD. Despite the presence of co-occurring conditions, children with more forceful, complex, and/or directly interfering tics may seek treatment to reduce tic severity.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)15-31
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities
Volume23
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2011

Keywords

  • Anxiety
  • Comorbid
  • Impairment
  • Tics
  • Tourette's disorder

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology

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