Tics - Therapist Manual & Workbook for Children

Tics is a protocol for treating children from 7-13 years with tics and Gilles de la Tourette syndrome.

Program
The protocol consists of a set, containing the Therapist Manual and the Workbook for Children. The Therapist Manual provides therapists with step by step information and enables them to make notes of each session. The Workbook for Parents can be downloaded free of charge (PDF document).

Methods
Two behavioral treatment methods are described in this protocol:
• Exposure and response prevention: two practice sessions followed by ten exposure sessions
• Habit reversal: ten sessions

Exposure and response prevention targets all the tics at once. By suppressing tics for a substantial amount of time, a child is given the opportunity to get used to the unpleasant premonitory sensory phenomena (tic-alerts), which often precede a tic and subside once a tic has been expressed. This method can be applied when there are many different tics (Gilles de la Tourette syndrome).

During the sessions of habit reversal, each tic is tackled separately by becoming aware of the tic and then learning a competing response that prevents the tic. Habit reversal is often used when a child has only one or few different tics.

The protocol includes homework; the Workbook for Children is illustrated. Parents are involved in the treatment: they record tics daily, practice together with their child and help improve the child’s awareness. Additional interventions include developing strategies to manage remaining tics. The therapist makes a relapse prevention plan according to the child’s needs. On completing the treatment, the child will receive the tic certificate.

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Over de auteur(s):

Cara Verdellen, PhD is a clinical psychologist and cognitive behavioral therapist employed at HSK Group Inc., a large Dutch organization that examines and treats patients who suffer from mental disorders. She received her PhD for research on the effectiveness of behavior therapy for tics in Tourette’s syndrome.

Jolande van de Griendt, MSc and Sanne Kriens, MSc are registered healthcare psychologists. Both are employed at HSK Group Inc. Ilse van Oostrum, MSc is a psychologist, formerly employed at HSK Group Inc. All authors perform scientific research and/or treat patients with tic disorders.