Combined Habit Reversal Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Treatment of Tics in Tourette Syndrome: A Pilot Study of Effectiveness and Response Duration.

BACKGROUND

Few studies have examined the effectiveness and duration of mindfulness-based therapies for tics in Tourette's syndrome. This study combined habit reversal therapy (HRT) with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the efficacy and response duration of HRT + ACT in reducing tic severity in adults with Tourette's Syndrome.

METHODS

Tic severity was assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups using the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) and video assessments. The intervention included eight weekly 1-h sessions.

RESULTS

Mixed-effects regression showed significant reductions in tic severity post-treatment (b = -10.36, P = 0.002), maintained at 6 months (b = -8.19, P = 0.012) and 12 months (b = -8.82, P = 0.009). Video assessments confirmed these findings.

CONCLUSION

The HRT + ACT protocol effectively reduced tic severity, with benefits lasting 12 months. These results support further trials to compare HRT + ACT with HRT alone.