Behavioral Therapy for Tourette Disorder: An Update

Purpose of Review: The past decade has realized substantial progress in understanding and treating Tourette disorder (TD). The goal of this review is to highlight recent research on behavioral approaches for treating TD and to identify limitations to this treatment approach and directions for future research. Recent Findings: Two large randomized controlled trials provide the most compelling evidence to date of the efficacy of behavior therapy for reducing tic severity in both children and adults with TD. Historical concerns regarding adverse treatment side effects have been examined and are not supported. However, treatment response remains incomplete and studies have shown that access to trained providers and the burden associated with treatment are significant barriers to utilization. Abbreviated treatment protocols and remote delivery have been investigated and have shown promise for addressing these issues. Summary: Behavior therapy is an efficacious treatment for TD, a better understanding of the behavioral and biological mechanism(s) by which behavior therapy operates will likely lead to improved outcomes. Additionally, it is critical to continue to identify barriers to implementation and improve dissemination of this efficacious treatment option. © 2016, Springer International Publishing AG.