Personal constructs associated with tics

Abstract

Thirteen subjects experiencing chronic tics kept diaries noting frequency, intensity and degree of control of their tic during their daily routines for one week. Three examples of high-, medium- and low-risk situations were chosen as elements and, using a modified form of Kelly's repertory grid, bipolar constructs were elicited by comparing the three types of situations. Principal dimensions extracted from INGRID analyses differed across individuals but related to three principal areas; self-image, degree of task involvement and type of task demand. Feelings of impatience and frustration frequently accompanied tic onset. Subjects' cognitive evaluations of their tic situations may be important in tic management.

The influence of contextual factors on tic expression in Tourette's syndrome: A review

“…Some events appear to be more commonly associated with tic exacerbations, such as fatigue [25][26][27][28] and social activities [28,30], and others with tic attenuation, such as relaxation [26,27], concentration or study [26,27,30], and passive states [29][30]. Nevertheless, the studies are limited in several ways.…”

“…Combined, these various studies [25][26][27][28][29][30] offer preliminary evidence that contextual antecedent events impact tic frequency. Some events appear to be more commonly associated with tic exacerbations, such as fatigue [25][26][27][28] and social activities [28,30], and others with tic attenuation, such as relaxation [26,27], concentration or study [26,27,30], and passive states [29][30].…”

“…The descriptive nature of the research did not allow for the examination of contextual variables upon tics in a controlled experimental setting, thereby precluding interpretations about causality. Third, only a few of these studies contained information regarding a formal description of how tics [26][27][28][29][30] or comorbid conditions [26,27,29,30] were diagnosed and how medication history was established. Such information is important, as the latter two may moderate the relationship between contextual factors and tic expression.…”

“…Second, all studies relied on self-reports or parental reports and were entirely descriptive in nature [25][26][27][28][29][30]. Participant bias and distortion can impact responding on selfreport measures, as can the format, wording, and order of items [31].…”

Tic-reducing effects of music in patients with Tourette’s syndrome: Self-reported and objective analysis

“…Contextual factors have furthermore been reported leading to tic reduction [18]. These include inter alia relaxation [11,15,17,19], distraction [17], sports [12,15,16,19], habitual, automatic actions [20], attention and concentration [11,[15][16][17]]. An overview of the different environmental factors having tic-reducing effects is given in a review by Conelea and Woods (2008) [21].…”