Development of behavioral and emotional problems in Tourette syndrome.
Tourette syndrome is a movement disorder with multiple neuropsychiatric features. Using the parent form of the Child Behavior Checklist by Achenbach and Edelbrock, we identified behavioral and emotional difficulties in 78 males, 6-16 years of age, with Tourette syndrome. Symptoms most often identified included obsessive-compulsive behavior, aggressiveness, hyperactivity, immaturity, withdrawal, and somatic complaints. Abnormal checklist scores were most prevalent in adolescents with Tourette syndrome. Tic severity was not a statistically significant predictor of behavioral disturbance, although a suggestive relationship between tic severity and behavioral disturbance was observed in the 12- to 16-year-old group. Dividing Tourette syndrome patients into those with or without hyperactivity failed to identify whether hyperactivity had a major impact on abnormal behaviors. Our results illustrate the relative frequency of psychopathology in Tourette syndrome and emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach to this syndrome.
Singer
H S
HS
Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
Rosenberg
L A
LA
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*