Investigating Distress Tolerance in Adults With Tourette Syndrome

Tourette's Disorder and other persistent tic disorders collectively affect about about 1% of the population, cause significant distress, and functional impairment. Although behavior therapy is recognized as a first-line intervention for Tourette's Disorder (TD), less than 40% of adults with TD respond to this evidence-based treatment. Limited tolerance for aversive premonitory urges and affective states that accompany tics may be one likely factor that impedes behavior therapy outcomes. This study examines the relationship between distress tolerance and tic inhibition among adults with TD, and investigates the mechanism and effect of therapeutic skills training to enhance distress tolerance abilities.