Advancements in the phenomenology, assessment, and treatment of Tourette syndrome.

Purpose Of Review: Tourette syndrome (TS) and chronic tic disorders, collectively referred to as TS, are relatively common childhood onset neuropsychiatric conditions associated with functional impairment and distress. Over the past several years, clinical research has contributed to the advancement of the field's understanding of mechanisms and clinical correlates of TS. This progress has led to the development of key assessment tools and the implementation of novel interventions for individuals with TS.

Immersive Virtual Reality Exposures for the Treatment of Childhood Anxiety.

Exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has demonstrated efficacy and is recommended as a front-line treatment for childhood anxiety. Unfortunately, challenges exist that impact the effective implementation of exposure-based CBT in clinical practice. One of the primary challenges is the accessibility and availability of exposure stimuli (e.

Clinical Considerations for an Evidence-Based Assessment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an impairing mental health disease, generally beginning in childhood, affecting up to ∼3% of the population. Using evidence-based assessments (EBAs) is the starting point for the accurate diagnosis and treatment of OCD. EBAs consist of structured and semistructured clinician-administered interviews, parent-report and child-report, and self-report for adults.

Urge intolerance predicts tic severity and impairment among adults with Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorders.

Background: Individuals with Tourette Syndrome and Persistent Tic Disorders (collectively TS) often experience premonitory urges-aversive physical sensations that precede tics and are temporarily relieved by tic expression. The relationship between tics and premonitory urges plays a key role in the neurobehavioral treatment model of TS, which underlies first-line treatments such as the Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT). Despite the efficacy of CBIT and related behavioral therapies, less than 40% of adults with TS respond to these treatments.

Homework adherence predicts therapeutic improvement from behavior therapy in Tourette's disorder.

Behavior therapy is a first-line intervention for Tourette's Disorder (TD), and a key component is the practice of therapeutic skills between treatment visits (i.e., homework).

Impact of Self-Efficacy and Affective Functioning on Pediatric Concussion Symptom Severity.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine whether self-efficacy predicted pediatric concussion symptom severity and explore whether affective mood states (e.g., depression) influenced this relationship.

Urge Intolerance and Impairment Among Youth with Tourette's and Chronic Tic Disorders.

Individuals with Tourette's Disorder and Persistent Tic Disorders (TD) often experience premonitory urges-aversive sensations that precede tics and are relieved by tic expression. Given its role in the neurobehavioral model of TD, understanding factors that influence premonitory urges and associated relief can advance understanding of urge phenomenology and optimize treatments for individuals with TD. This study examined whether the novel construct of urge intolerance-difficulty tolerating premonitory urges-predicted tic severity and tic-related disability.