Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Habit Reversal Training for the Treatment of Chronic Tic Disorders in Children (CBIT)

Tourette Association of America

Status and phase

Completed

Phase 3

Phase 2

Conditions

Tourette Syndrome

Tic Disorders

Treatments

Behavioral: Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

NIH

Identifiers

NCT00218777

DSIR 84-CTS

R01MH070802 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will determine the effectiveness of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) with habit reversal training (HRT) in treating chronic tic disorders (CTDs) in children and adolescents.

Full description

CTDs and Tourette syndrome are neurobehavioral disorders that are characterized by a persistent pattern of motor and vocal tics. Tics are intermittent movements or sounds that occur repeatedly. They can be either brief, rapid, and darting movements or more purposeful movements, such as repetitively locking and unlocking a door. Vocal tics can be simple, as in sniffing or grunting, or more complex, such as complete words or phrases. Tic disorders can cause considerable distress in affected children, and can lead to social and academic impairment. If left untreated, CTDs can last into adulthood. The standard treatment for suppressing CTDs is medication; dopamine-blocking drugs are used most commonly. These medications, however, are associated with a range of adverse effects that can result in poor treatment compliance and premature treatment termination. Recent research suggests that HRT may be an effective, lower risk treatment for CTDs. HRT is a behavioral treatment based on increasing awareness of one's behaviors and replacing unwanted behaviors with less bothersome ones. This study will determine the effectiveness of CBT with HRT in treating CTDs in children and adolescents.

Participants in this double blind study will be randomly assigned to receive either CBT plus HRT or standard care, which will consist of psychoeducation and supportive therapy. All participants will partake in 8 sessions of their assigned therapy over the course of 10 weeks. After the initial 10 weeks, those who responded to treatment will report back to the study site for 3 monthly booster sessions. Changes in tic severity, effects of the therapies on overall functioning and quality of life, and possible predictors of treatment outcome will be assessed.

Enrollment

120 estimated patients

Sex

All

Ages

9 to 17 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Meets DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for chronic tic disorder (chronic motor or vocal tic disorder or Tourette syndrome)
Score of at least 3 on the Clinical Global Impressions Severity Scale
Score of at least 14 on the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) or at least 10 for individuals with motor tics only
Unmedicated or currently on a stable medication treatment for tics, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), ADHD, anxiety, and/or depressive disorder for at least 6 weeks, with no planned changes for the duration of study participation
Child speaks English

Exclusion criteria

Score greater than 30 on the YGTSS
IQ less than 80 on the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI)
Meets DSM-IV criteria for substance abuse or dependence within the 3 months prior to study entry
Meets DSM-IV criteria for conduct disorder within the 3 months prior to study entry
Lifetime DSM-IV diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder, mania, or psychotic disorder
Any serious psychiatric, psychosocial, or neurological condition (i.e., OCD, ADHD, major depressive disorder, anxiety, severe aggression, or family discord) requiring immediate treatment other than what is provided in the current study (i.e., medication, school intervention, or family therapy)
Previous treatment with four or more sessions of HRT for tics