Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) Workshop

Reinforcement Unlimited hosted Dr. Douglas Woods from the University of Wisconsin at our clinic for a Professional Continuing Education Workshop on December 14, 2010.

The workshop was a cooperative event sponsored by the Tourette Syndrome Association through a training grant from the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Dr. Woods presented on his research, and the multisite research, on a new research supported non-drug treatment for tics and Tourette's Syndrome.

A variety of professionals were invited to the Reinforcement Unlimited clinic for the free BACB Type II Continuing Education event.  Dr. Woods presented for four hours on the CBIT therapy model.  This comprehensive behavior therapy is effective in helping children with Tourette Syndrome manage their tics, according to a study published in the May 19, 2010 special issue of the Journal of the American Medication Association (JAMA), which was dedicated to addressing mental health disorders. The outcome data indicate that just over half the children in the study receiving CBIT improved significantly whether they were on medication prior to the behavioral treatment or not.  It also indicated that the treatment effect size was similar to the main medications currently in use to treat tics (e.g., Atypical Antipsychotic medications such as Risperdal and Zyprexa).  The research was funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) and involved several leading universities working in partnership with the national Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc (TSA).

Those in attendance were provided training on the 3 main steps of the CBIT treatment protocol, had opportunities to ask questions of Dr. Woods who was a Principal Investigator on the NIMH funded multisite research, and were provided a copy of the treatment manual (Managing Tourette Syndrome: A Behavioral Intervention for Children and Adults, 2008, Oxford University Press), a DVD developed by members of TSA's Behavioral Sciences Consortium on CBIT, the Emmy Award Winning DVD I Have Tourette's But Tourette's Doesn't Have Me, and the supplemental learning multi-DVD set Tourette Syndrome: A compendium for Physicians and Allied Health Professionals.  The funding for Dr. Woods presentation and the materials came from a grant to the Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA) from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) to provide education professionals nationwide. 

We at Reinforcement Unlimited would like to thank Dr. Woods, the Tourette Syndrome Association, and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention for their generous support of our efforts to bring cutting edge, research supported, training to Georgia on a variety of mental health and behavioral issues.

Further information on the CBIT Treatment Model can be found at the following sites:

• TSA's CBIT Brochure

• The National Institute of Mental Health's page on CBIT with a Video featuring Dr. Piacentini of UCLA.

• References:

  • An Abstract is available of the JAMA Article - Piacentini J, Woods DW, Scahill L, Wilhelm S, Peterson AL, Chang S, Ginsburg G, Deckersbach T, Dziura J, Levi-Pearl S, Walkup JT. Randomized trial of a behavioral intervention for children with Tourette's Disorder. Journal of the American Medical Association. 19 May 2010. 303(19).

  • The Full JAMA Article in PDF is also available - Piacentini J, Woods DW, Scahill L, Wilhelm S, Peterson AL, Chang S, Ginsburg G, Deckersbach T, Dziura J, Levi-Pearl S, Walkup JT. Randomized trial of a behavioral intervention for children with Tourette's Disorder. Journal of the American Medical Association. 19 May 2010. 303(19).

  • The Parent Workbook is available from Oxford University Press - Managing Tourette Syndrome A Behavioral Intervention Workbook, Parent Workbook