title: Behavior therapy for tics in children: acute and long-term effects on psychiatric and psychosocial functioning.
abstract: Children (n = 126) ages 9 to 17 years with chronic tic or Tourette disorder were randomly assigned to receive either behavior therapy or a control treatment over 10 weeks. This study examined acute effects of behavior therapy on secondary psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial functioning and long-term effects on these measures for behavior therapy responders only. Baseline and end point assessments conducted by a masked independent evaluator assessed several secondary psychiatric symptoms and measures of psychosocial functioning. Responders to behavior therapy at the end of the acute phase were reassessed at 3-month and 6-month follow-up. Children in the behavior therapy and control conditions did not differentially improve on secondary psychiatric or psychosocial outcome measures at the end of the acute phase. At 6-month posttreatment, positive response to behavior therapy was associated with decreased anxiety, disruptive behavior, and family strain and improved social functioning. Behavior therapy is a tic-specific treatment for children with tic disorders.
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA. dwoods@uwm.edu
authors.forename: Douglas W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Piacentini
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scahill
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Thilo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deckersbach
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Specht
authors.forename: Christine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Conelea
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rozenman
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dzuria
authors.forename: Haibei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Levi-Pearl
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Walkup
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011584:Psychology; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D013981:Tic Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D013995:Time; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome