Tourette syndrome in the general child population: cognitive functioning and self- perception.

The aim of the study was to examine the cognitive function and self-perception in a school-population-based sample of children with Tourette syndrome (TS). Many studies have examined cognitive and emotional functioning in clinical samples but to our knowledge, there is no population-based study of TS in schoolchildren. In a population-based sample identified in a rigid diagnostic procedure (n = 25), cognitive functioning and self-perception were examined. There was a large variation in the cognitive functioning of children with TS, at least one third obtaining subnormal results. The profile of index scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) factors was somewhat uneven, with the freedom from distractibility and processing speed factors presenting the lowest median scores. The TS group had more negative self-perceptions than a comparison group. Tic severity or age at onset was not associated with cognitive performance or self-perception. Children who were taking medication had lower full IQ scores than children who were not. Low cognitive abilities and negative self-perception may be common in community-based samples of children with Tourette syndrome.