Treatment of Tourette Syndrome by Habit Reversal: A Waiting-List Control Group Comparison

The present investigation employed a waiting·list control group design to evaluate the eiTectivcnc:ss of the: habit reversal treatment procedure in eliminating the: multiple motor and vocal tics in 10 subjects with Toureue Syndrome. The: mean percent rcduc· tion in tics for all 10 subjects at the: last month of treatment was 93.0Cilo at home and 9J.SCI1o in the clinic. Rcdu.:tions occurred for vocal tics as well as each type of motor tic, for the children as well as the adults, for those subjects receiving TS medications as well as those not doing so, and for tic sc:vc:rity as well as tic: frequency; there was no evidence of symptom substitution. These results suggest that Tourette Syndrome can be treated eiTectiveh· with this type of behavior therapy.