Abstract
Research has shown that both education about Tourette Syndrome (TS) and self-disclosure have a positive impact on how peers rate the social acceptability of an individual with TS. However, no studies have directly compared generic TS education and personally delivered self-disclosure on how they impact attitudes towards an individual with TS. In the current study, 197 participants viewed a short videotape of a male actor displaying tics, after which they were assigned to one of three groups. One group received no education, one group viewed a commercially available video in which several individuals with TS provided education about TS and discussed their personal experiences with the syndrome, and one group viewed a content-matched video of an actor displaying tics, providing TS education, and personally self-disclosing about his experience having TS. Results indicate that participants in both video conditions rated themselves as more knowledgeable about tics than those in the control condition. More importantly, results also show that participants who viewed the actor personally self-disclose about TS rated him as more socially acceptable than did individuals who either viewed the content-matched generic TS education video or who did not receive education.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bawden, H. N., Stokes, A., Camfield, C. S., Camfield, P. R., & Salisbury, S. (1998). Peer relationship problems in children with Tourette’s disorder or diabetes mellitus. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 39(5), 663–668.
Boudjouk, P. J., Woods, D. W., Miltenberger, R. G., & Long, E. S. (2000). Negative peer evaluation in adolescents: effects of tic disorders and trichotillomania. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 22(1), 17–28.
Champion, L. M., Fulton, W. A., & Shady, G. A. (1988). Tourette Syndrome and social functioning in a Canadian population. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 12, 255–257.
Conelea, C. A., Woods, D. W., Zinner, S. H., Budman, C. L., Murphy, T. K., Scahill, L. D., Comptom, S. N., & Walkup, J. T. (2011). Exploring the impact of chronic tic disorders on youth: results from the Tourette Syndrome impact survey. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 42, 219–242.
Friedrich, S., Morgan, S. B., & Devine, C. (1996). Children’s attitudes and behavioral intentions toward a peer with Tourette Syndrome. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 21(3), 307–319.
Goetz, C. G., Tanner, C. M., Stebbins, G. T., Leipzig, G., & Carr, W. C. (1992). Adult tics in Gilles de la Tourette’s syndrome: description and risk factors. Neurology, 42(4), 784–788.
Holtz, K. D., & Tessman, G. K. (2007). Evaluation of a peer-focused intervention to increase knowledge and foster positive attitudes toward children with Tourette Syndrome. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 19, 531–542.
Leckman, J. F., Peterson, B. S., King, R. A., Scahill, L., & Cohen, D. J. (2001). Phenomenology of tics and natural history of tic disorders. In D. J. Cohen, C. Goetz, & J. Jankovic (Eds.), Tourette Syndrome (pp. 1–14). New York: Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins.
Long, E. S., Woods, D. W., Miltenberger, R. G., Fuqua, R. W., & Boudjouk, P. J. (1999). Examining the social effects of habit behaviors exhibited by individuals with mental retardation. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 11(4), 295–312.
Marcks, B. A., Berlin, K. S., Woods, D. W., & Davies, W. H. (2007). Impact of Tourette Syndrome: a preliminary investigation of the effects of disclosure on peer perceptions and social functioning. Psychiatry, 70(1), 59–67.
Scharf, J. M., Miller, L. L., Mathews, C. A., & Ben-Shlomo, Y. (2012). Prevalence of Tourette Syndrome and chronic tics in the population-based Avon longitudinal study of parents and children cohort. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 51(2), 192–201.
Seligman, A., (Executive Producer), & James Stanfield Film Producers(Producer). (1984). Stop it, I can’t [videotape]. Available from the Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc., 42-40 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361.
Shady, G., Broder, R., Staley, D., & Furer, P. (1995). Tourette syndrome and employment: descriptors, predictors, and problems. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 19(1), 35–42.
Shapiro, A. K., Shapiro, E., & Wayne, H. (1972). Birth, developmental, and family histories and demographic information in Tourette’s Syndrome. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 155(5), 335–344.
Stefanoff, P., Wolanxzyk, T., Gawrys, A., Swirszcz, K., Stefanoff, E., Kaminska, A., Lojewska-Bajbus, M., Mazurek, B., Majewska-Stefaniak, A., Mikulska, J., & Brynska, A. (2008). Prevalence of tic disorders among schoolchildren with Warsaw, Poland. European Child & Adolescent Psyciatry, 17, 171–178.
Stokes, A., Bawden, H. N., Camfield, P. R., Backman, J. E., & Dooley, J. M. (1991). Peer problems in Tourette’s disorder. Pediatrics, 87, 936–942.
Storch, E. A., Murphy, T. K., Chase, R. M., Keely, M., Goodman, W. K., Murray, M., & Geffken, G. R. (2007). Peer victimization in youth with Tourette’s syndrome and chronic tic disorder: relations with tic severity and internalizing symptoms. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 29, 211–219.
Wand, R. R., Fulton, W. A., Shady, G. A., Champion, L. M., & Hubka, G. (1988). Tourette syndrome and medical treatment in Canada. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 12, 229–231.
Woods, D. W. (2002). The effect of video-based peer education on the social acceptability of adults with Tourette’s Syndrome. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 14(1), 51–62.
Woods, D. W., & Marcks, B. A. (2005). Controlled evaluation of an educational intervention used to modify peer attitudes and behavior toward persons with Tourette’s Syndrome. Behavior Modification, 29(6), 900–912.
Woods, D. W., Long, E. S., Fuqua, R. W., Miltenberger, R. G., Outman, R. C., Boudjouk, P. (1997). Evaluating the social acceptability of persons with tic disorders. Paper presented at the meeting of the Association of Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL.
Woods, D. W., Fuqua, R. W., & Outman, R. C. (1998). Evaluating the social acceptability of persons with habit disorders: the effects of topography, frequency, and gender manipulation. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 21(1), 1–18.
Woods, D. W., Koch, M., & Miltenberger, R. G. (2003). The impact of tic severity on the effect of peer education about Tourette’s syndrome. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 15(1), 67–78.
Zohar, A. H., Apter, A., King, R. A., Pauls, D. L., Leckman, J. F., & Cohen, D. J. (1999). Epidemiological studies. In J. F. Leckman & D. J. Cohen (Eds.), Tourette’s Syndrome—tics, obsessions, compulsions: developmental pathology and clinical care (pp. 177–193). New York: Wiley.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Olufs, E.L., Himle, M.B. & Bradley, A.R. The Effect of Generic Versus Personally Delivered Education and Self-Disclosure on the Social Acceptability of Adults with Tourette Syndrome. J Dev Phys Disabil 25, 395–403 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-012-9317-x
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-012-9317-x