Psychosocial stress in children with Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorder

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Child Psychology
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

• Tourette syndrome (TS) and chronic tic disorder are neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by involuntary movements and vocalizations.
• The impact of psychosocial stress on tic severity in pediatric populations requires further longitudinal investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the longitudinal association between psychosocial stress and tic exacerbation in children diagnosed with Tourette syndrome (TS) and chronic tic disorder.
• To identify specific types of stressors that correlate with increased tic severity over time.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study involving 373 children (mean age 9y 5mo) with TS and chronic tic disorder.
• Data collected between January 2018 and December 2020 included consecutive tic severity ratings (Yale Global Tic Severity Scale - YGTSS) and child/parental reports of psychosocial stress.
• Time-varying analyses using random intercept and random slope models controlled for repeated observations.

Main Results:

• Family, personal relationship, and school-related stressors were independently linked to increased YGTSS global severity, total tic score, and impairment.
• A higher number of stressful events correlated with greater tic severity over the study period.

Conclusions:

• Psychosocial stressors, particularly those related to family, personal relationships, and school, are consistently associated with tic exacerbation in children with TS and chronic tic disorder.
• Interventions aimed at managing these specific stressors are crucial for the comprehensive treatment of Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorder.