Effectiveness of Behavior Therapy and Psychosocial Therapy for the Treatment of Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorder

Tourette Syndrome Clinical Trial

Official title: Behavior Therapy and Psychosocial Treatment for Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorder

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

This study will compare the efficacy of supportive therapy versus habit-reversal therapy for the treatment of Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorder.

Clinical Trial Description

Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorder are neurological disorders characterized by tics. Tics are involuntary, rapid motor movements or vocalizations that occur suddenly and repeatedly. In adults, the symptoms of Tourette syndrome or chronic tic disorder can be severe. These symptoms often cause difficulties in interpersonal relationships and high unemployment rates. Medication treatments are available for both Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorder, but most are not completely effective and cause considerable negative side effects. Therefore, non-medication treatments are needed. This study will compare the efficacy of supportive therapy versus habit-reversal therapy for the treatment of Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorder.

Participants in this open-label study will be randomly assigned to receive either supportive therapy or habit-reversal therapy. Over the course of 10 weeks, all participants will receive 8 treatment sessions of their assigned therapy. The supportive therapy will focus on educating participants on what tics are, how tics present themselves, the causes of tics, the common conditions that may occur along with tics, and environmental factors that may affect their tics (e.g. family, social, school, stress). Habit-reversal therapy will consist of awareness training, relaxation training, self-monitoring, and competing response training. Tic severity, tic-related impairment, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms will be assessed at each study session, using diagnostic interviews and self-report scales. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Syndrome
• Tic Disorders
• Tics
• Tourette Syndrome

• NCT number: NCT00231985
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Massachusetts General Hospital
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: October 2005
• Completion date: March 2010