Cognitive behavioral management of Tourette's syndrome and chronic tic disorder in medicated and unmedicated samples

• Published in: Behaviour research and therapy Vol. 47; no. 12; pp. 1090 - 1095
• Main Authors: O'Connor, Kieron P., Laverdure, Anick, Taillon, Annie, Stip, Emmanuel, Borgeat, François, Lavoie, Marc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2009; Elsevier; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Affect; Aged; Behavior modification; Behavior therapy. Cognitive therapy; Biological and medical sciences; CBT; Clinical outcomes; Cognitive behaviour therapy; Cognitive therapy; Cognitive Therapy - methods; Cognitive Therapy - statistics & numerical data; Combined Modality Therapy - methods; Combined Modality Therapy - statistics & numerical data; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Efficacy; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Medication; Middle Aged; Moods; Movement; Neurology; Organic mental disorders. Neuropsychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychotropic Drugs - therapeutic use; Tic disorder; Tic Disorders - drug therapy; Tic Disorders - therapy; Tics; Tourette syndrome; Tourette Syndrome - drug therapy; Tourette Syndrome - therapy; Tourette's syndrome; Treatments; Medication; CBT; Tourette syndrome; Tic disorder; Human; Nervous system diseases; Cognitive therapy; Management; Involuntary movement; Cerebral disorder; Tic; Chronic; Treatment; Central nervous system disease; Gilles de la Tourette syndrome; Degenerative disease; Behavior therapy; Neurological disorder
• ISSN: 0005-7967; 1873-622X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2009.07.021

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and medication can be administered in combination in treating tic disorders but there are no studies evaluating the effectiveness of CBT with and without medication. The current study compares the efficacy of CBT in combination with medication and without medication.
CBT was administered in a consecutively referred sample of 76 people diagnosed either with Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome or chronic tic disorder. The sample was divided into a medicated and a non-medicated group. Twenty three were stabilized on medication and 53 were not receiving medication. Measures administered pre- and post-CBT in both groups included: main outcome measure of Tourette Syndrome Global Scale and measures of mood.
Repeated measures analysis of variance on the initial sample revealed no difference between medicated and non-medicated groups in outcome. A further analysis comparing the 23 receiving medication with 23 not receiving medication matched on baseline clinical variables also yielded no significant group differences, either in treatment outcome on main tic outcome measures or on other clinically relevant questionnaires.
CBT for tic disorders is an effective treatment administered either in combination with medication or alone.