Variables Associated With Tic Exacerbation in Children With Chronic Tic Disorders

Overview

Journal Behav Modif

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2014 Apr 30

PMID 24778433

Citations 19

Authors

Michael B Himle

Matthew R Capriotti

Loran P Hayes

Krishnapriya Ramanujam

Lawrence Scahill

Denis G Sukhodolsky

Sabine Wilhelm

Thilo Deckersbach

Alan L Peterson

Matt W Specht

John T Walkup

Susanna Chang

John Piacentini

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Research has shown that motor and vocal tics fluctuate in frequency, intensity, and form in response to environmental and contextual cues. Behavioral models have proposed that some of the variation in tics may reflect context-dependent interactive learning processes such that once tics are performed, they are influenced by environmental contingencies. The current study describes the results of a function-based assessment of tics (FBAT) from a recently completed study comparing Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) with supportive psychotherapy. The current study describes the frequency with which antecedent and consequence variables were reported to exacerbate tics and the relationships between these functional variables and sample baseline characteristics, comorbidities, and measures of tic severity. Results showed that tic-exacerbating antecedents and consequences were nearly ubiquitous in a sample of children with chronic tic disorder. In addition, functional variables were related to baseline measures of comorbid internalizing symptoms and specific measures of tic severity.

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