Behavioral and Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy for Tourette Disorder

Abstract

Abstract Although pharmacological interventions are efficacious for reducing tic severity, they yield suboptimal symptom relief for most patients and are often associated with side effects that limit long-term tolerability. Behavioral and cognitive–behavioral therapies have demonstrated efficacy for reducing tic severity and tic-related impairment in patients with Tourette disorder. This has led numerous professional organizations to recommend behavioral therapies such as habit reversal training and the Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics as first-line treatments for Tourette disorder. This chapter provides an overview of different behavioral and cognitive–behavioral therapies for Tourette disorder and reviews the extant evidence for each therapeutic approach. The chapter highlights challenges confronting behavioral and cognitive–behavioral therapies, discusses treatment mechanisms, and identifies steps to overcome these treatment challenges.