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Behavior Therapy for Youth With Tourette Disorder
1Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles. jfmcguire@mednet.ucla.edu.
Journal of Clinical Psychology
|September 28, 2016
Summary
Behavioral therapy, specifically habit reversal training (HRT), effectively reduced tic symptom severity in an adolescent with Tourette disorder (TD). This approach offers a valuable alternative for managing tics in youth.
Area of Science:
- Neuropsychiatry
- Behavioral Psychology
Background:
- Tourette disorder (TD) and persistent tic disorders often co-occur with obsessive-compulsive disorder in youth.
- Pharmacological treatments like antipsychotics and alpha-2 agonists have been traditional management strategies.
- Behavioral interventions, including habit reversal training (HRT), show significant efficacy in reducing tic severity.
Observation:
- A 14-year-old female adolescent diagnosed with Tourette disorder presented with moderate tic symptom severity.
- The tic severity caused significant physical, academic, and social impairment.
- The patient received concurrent pharmacotherapy alongside behavioral intervention.
Findings:
- The adolescent completed a 20-session weekly course of habit reversal training (HRT).
- Following HRT, a clinically meaningful reduction in tic symptom severity was observed.
- Tic-related impairment also showed significant improvement post-intervention.
Implications:
- Behavior therapy, particularly HRT, is a beneficial treatment for reducing tic severity in adolescents with Tourette disorder.
- This case study supports the efficacy of behavioral interventions as a primary or adjunctive treatment for TD in youth.
- Highlights the importance of considering behavior therapy for comprehensive management of tic disorders in pediatric populations.
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