An Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Tic Disorders: Effect on Comorbid Symptoms.
Kiran Kaur, W Alan Brown, Susanne Hoeppner, Sabine Wilhelm, Hannah E. Reese
Movement Disorders Clinical Practice July 16, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/mdc3.70726 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 28 |
| Population | Adults with Tourette's syndrome or persistent tic disorder |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based intervention for tics |
| Duration | 8-week intervention, 1-month and 6-month follow-up |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | ADHD Tourette's syndrome Comorbidity Obsessive‐compulsive symptoms Stress Tic disorders |
| Key findings | Mindfulness-based intervention for tics led to significantly greater reductions in obsessive-compulsive symptoms compared to psychoeducation, relaxation, and supportive therapy at posttreatment. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based approaches show promise for reducing tic severity, yet little is known about their effect on comorbid symptoms. The objective was to evaluate secondary outcomes from a pilot randomized controlled trial comparing mindfulness-based intervention for tics (MBIT) with psychoeducation, relaxation, and supportive therapy (PRST). Twenty-eight adults with Tourette's syndrome or persistent tic disorder were randomized to MBIT or PRST and completed measures of obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, depression, anxiety, stress, and functional impairment at baseline, posttreatment, 1-month, and 6-month follow-up. A significant group-by-time interaction emerged for OC symptoms, indicating a significantly greater reduction in OC symptoms in MBIT compared to PRST at posttreatment. No significant group-by-time interactions emerged for the remaining outcomes at posttreatment. Outcomes at 1- and 6-month follow-ups are reported descriptively. MBIT, relative to PRST, led to significantly greater reductions in OC symptoms. Larger clinical trials are necessary to test these initial findings.