title: The Impact of Tic Severity, Comorbidity and Peer Attachment on Quality of Life Outcomes and Functioning in Tourette's Syndrome: Parental Perspectives.
abstract: The aim of this controlled, community-based study based on data from parents of youth (aged 7-16 years) with Tourette's syndrome (TS; n = 86) and parents of age and gender matched peers (n = 108) was to test several hypotheses involving a range of variables salient to the TS population, including peer attachment, quality of life, severity of tics, comorbidity, and psychological, behavioural and social dysfunction. Multivariate between-group analyses confirmed that TS group youth experienced lower quality of life, increased emotional, behavioural and social difficulties, and elevated rates of insecure peer attachment relative to controls, as reported by their primary caregiver. Results also confirmed the main hypothesis that security of peer attachment would be associated with individual variability in outcomes for youth with TS. As predicted, multivariate within-TS group analyses determined strong relationships among adverse quality of life outcomes and insecure attachment to peers, increased tic severity, and the presence of comorbid disorder. Findings suggest that youth with TS are at increased risk for insecure peer attachment and that this might be an important variable impacting the quality of life outcomes for those diagnosed.
authors.affiliation: School of Arts and Social Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Deirdre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Hare
authors.affiliation: School of Arts and Social Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Helmes
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales & Ingham Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia. v.eapen@unsw.edu.au.|Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, South Western Sydney Local Health District (AUCS), Liverpool Hospital, Mental Health Centre (Level 1: ICAMHS), Locked Bag 7103, Liverpool, Sydney, NSW, 2170, Australia. v.eapen@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Valsamma
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Eapen
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales & Ingham Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grove
authors.affiliation: School of Arts and Social Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McBain
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Sciences, Australian College of Applied Psychology, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reece
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D010290:Parents; D010379:Peer Group; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020323:Tics / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Comorbidity; Peer attachment; Quality of life; Tic severity; Tourette syndrome