Explosive Outbursts in Children With Tourette Syndrome: A Closer Look at Family Functioning Dimensions

Approximately 50% of children with Tourette syndrome (TS) experience explosive outbursts marked by disproportionate aggressive episodes. Although among the most disruptive manifestations of TS, their impact on family functioning remains unclear. This study examined whether explosive outbursts predicted impairments across dimensions of family functioning. A total of 289 parents of children aged 6-14 (M = 10.6; 75% boys) with TS completed measures assessing tic severity, explosive outbursts, and family functioning. Hierarchical regressions controlling for tics and comorbidities showed that explosive outburst severity significantly predicted impairments in problem solving, role distribution, behavior control, and general functioning, but not in affective responsiveness, affective involvement, or communication. Tics and comorbidities were not significant predictors of any family functioning dimension. Findings suggest that explosive outbursts contribute to organizational and regulatory difficulties, underscoring the importance of targeting these processes in interventions. The absence of associations between explosive outbursts and affective dimensions highlights their distinct clinical profile.