•The prevalence of subclinical and disordered versions of BFRBs is unclear.•The current study examined BFRB prevalence in a large undergraduate sample.•A total of 59.55% met criteria for a ...subclinical BFRB.•A total of 12.27% met criteria for a BFRB disorder.•While many persons with BFRB disorders reported distress, few reported impairment.
Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), such as hair pulling, skin picking, and nail biting are common habits, but their pathological manifestations have been considered rare. Growing evidence suggests pathological forms of these behaviors can be conceptualized as a class of related disorders. However, few previous studies have examined the collective prevalence of related pathological BFRBs. The current study examined the self-reported prevalence of current (past month) subclinical and pathological BFRBs in a large (n = 4335) sample of college students. The study also examined the chronicity and impact of these behaviors. Results showed that 59.55% of the sample reported occasionally engaging in subclinical BFRBs, and 12.27% met criteria for a pathological BFRB, suggesting these conditions may be quite common. Of the various BFRB topographies, cheek biting was the most common. Both subclinical and pathological BFRBs tended to be chronic (i.e., occurring for longer than 1 year). Although persons with pathological BFRBs were distressed about their behavior, few experienced functional impairment or sought help for the behavior. Implications of these findings for the conceptualization and treatment of body-focused repetitive behaviors are discussed.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
The Premonitory Urge for Tics Scale (PUTS) is a common self-report measure of premonitory urges for patients with tic disorders. This study aims to evaluate the Chinese version of the PUTS (PUTS-C) ...and to explore its association with psychiatric symptoms in Chinese children diagnosed with tic disorders.
The psychometric evaluation involved 204 outpatients with tic disorders, aged 7-16 years, who were divided into two age groups: (7-10 years, n = 103; 11-16 years, n = 95).
The PUTS-C demonstrated good internal consistency (McDonald'sω = 0.84) and two-week test-retest reliability (0.76). We observed a statistically significant correlation between the total PUTS-C score and various Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) subscales and total tic severity scores. The PUTS-C score also showed significant correlations with the Children Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS), Screening Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED), and Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Notably, premonitory urges independently predicted tic severity, beyond the influence of comorbid symptoms. A two-factor structure of the PUTS-C was identified in the total sample through factor analysis.
The PUTS-C possesses acceptable validity and good reliability. It appears that premonitory urges in Chinese patients with tic disorders are associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms, anxiety, and depression, but can independently predict tic severity. Specific PUTS-C factors possibly related to motor and vocal tics. Future research should continue to investigate age-related differences and the association with tics and other sensory symptoms.
Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) has been shown to be effective for reducing tics in children with chronic tic disorder. Unfortunately, there remain significant barriers to ...dissemination. The aim of the current study was to examine the effectiveness of CBIT delivered over videoconference. Twenty children were randomly assigned to receive CBIT over videoconference or via traditional face-to-face delivery. Results show that both treatment delivery modalities resulted in significant tic reduction with no between group differences. Furthermore, acceptability and therapist-client alliance ratings were strong for both groups. Together, these results suggest that videoconference is a viable option for disseminating CBIT.
► Both telehealth and face-to-face CBIT delivery were effective for reducing tics. ► Treatment acceptability ratings for both delivery modalities were high. ► There were no differences between delivery modalities on working alliance ratings. ► Telehealth is a promising method for disseminating behavior therapy for tics.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Abstract In addition to motor and/or vocal tics, many individuals with Tourette syndrome (TS) or chronic tic disorder (CTD) report frequent, uncomfortable sensory phenomena that immediately precede ...the tics. To date, examination of these premonitory sensations or urges has been limited by inconsistent assessment tools. In this paper, we examine the psychometric properties of a nine-item self-report measure, the Premonitory Urge to Tic Scale (PUTS) and examine the characteristics and correlates of the premonitory urge to tic in a clinical sample of 122 older adolescents and adults with TS or CTD. The PUTS demonstrated adequate internal consistency, temporal stability, and concurrent validity. Premonitory urges were endorsed by the majority of individuals. Most individuals reported some relief from the urges after completing a tic and being able to stop their tics even if only temporarily. Degree of premonitory urges was not significantly correlated with age, and we did not observe any gender differences. Degree of premonitory urges was significantly correlated with estimated IQ and tic severity, but not severity of comorbid obsessive–compulsive disorder or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Also, it was not related to concomitant medication status. These findings represent another step forward in our understanding of the premonitory sensations associated with TS and CTD.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Premonitory urges (PUs) are sensory phenomena that immediately precede tics. The Premonitory Urge for Tics Scale (PUTS) is widely used to assess the severity of PUs, but the psychometric properties ...of PUTS and clinical features of PU in Chinese patients with tic disorders are still unclear. In this study, we examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the PUTS in a large sample (including 367 Chinese pediatric patients with tic disorders). We found no difference in PU in different age groups. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of PUTS showed the emergence of four primary factors. The results of reliability and validity analyses indicated that the Chinese version showed good psychometric properties. It seemed that PU was associated with the severity of obsession symptoms in patients with tic disorders. Network analysis showed that Item 7 is a critical node for the PU, in addition to Items 1 and 4. Overall, the Chinese version of PUTS can be used in Chinese child and adolescent patients with tic disorders, particularly for patients with Tourette syndrome.
Purpose
The comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT) is the first-line psychotherapeutic treatment for individuals with tic disorders. However, most patients with tic disorders do not ...have access to CBIT due to different factors including lack of trained therapists, treatment cost, and travel distance. Such barriers are more prominent in non-English speaking countries. Therefore, the current study assessed the preliminary efficacy, feasibility, and acceptability of remotely administered group CBIT (RG-CBIT) in Japan.
Methods
This was an open-case series that adopted the AB design. Three Japanese children aged between 6 and 13 years who were diagnosed with TS were recruited. RG-CBIT was developed based on the published CBIT manual. Videoconference application, slide presentation software, and cloud learning platform were used as appropriate.
Results
The Yale Global Tic Severity Scale scores of all participants decreased from baseline to post-treatment. That is, the score reduced by an average of 7.0. Regarding feasibility and acceptability, the attendance rate of participants was 100%, and the process measurement items had favorable scores.
Conclusions
RG-CBIT had satisfactory efficacy, feasibility, and acceptability. Hence, it could mitigate the barriers for treatment access.
Background
Trichotillomania (TTM) is a psychiatric disorder that leads to significant hair loss, distress, and impairment. Few validated measures exist to assess TTM, and psychometric research ...examining these tools is sparse. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of commonly used TTM severity measures and extended prior research by including hair loss severity ratings in our analyses.
Methods
Participants included 91 adults (92.3% Female;
M
age = 35.0) with TTM who completed baseline assessments as part of a randomized clinical trial of psychotherapy for TTM. TTM measures included the Massachusetts General Hospital Hairpulling Scale (MGH-HS) and National Institute of Mental Health Trichotillomania Severity Scale (NIMH-TSS). Independent evaluators rated photos of participants’ most severely affected pulling sites using a one-item hair loss severity scale.
Results
Results showed mixed psychometric properties for TTM measures. The MGH-HS showed acceptable internal consistency (alpha = 0.83; omega = 0.89), while the NIMH-TSS had lower internal consistency (alpha = 0.52; omega = 0.73). Both the MGH-HS and NIMH-TSS demonstrated low test-retest reliability. Total scores on the MGH-HS and NIMH-TSS were not associated with hair loss severity.
Conclusions
Given these findings, it is imperative to develop new, psychometrically-sound TTM measures. These results also emphasize the importance of a multi-method approach to TTM assessment. In addition to self-report and clinician-administered measures, hair loss severity ratings may offer valuable information as part of a comprehensive assessment of TTM.
Full text
Available for:
EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Abstract The objective of this study was to examine the influence of environmental challenges on tic expression by subjective and objective measures. The study group consisted of 41 children aged ...6-18 years (M=10.15, SD=2.73) with a primary diagnosis of Tourette syndrome. Subjective measures included the Functional Assessment Interview developed for this study and three standard validated instruments. The objective measure was a video-recording of the patients in five daily-life situations: watching television, doing homework, being alone, receiving attention when ticcing, and talking to a stranger. In addition, the effect of premonitory urges on assessment of tic expression was evaluated. The associations between the subjective and objective measures of tic expression were moderate to low. A significantly higher number of tics were observed in the television situation, and a significantly lower number in the alone situation, compared to the other situations. Higher levels of premonitory urge were associated with greater awareness of objectively measured tic expression. In conclusion, tic expression is significantly influenced by the environment. Subjective measures of tic expression may be misleading. These results have implications for refining the clinical assessment of tics, improving research methodology, and developing new therapeutic strategies.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
PDF
