The roles of anxiety and depression in connecting tic severity and functional impairment

The current study examined relationships between tic severity and both functional impairment and perceived quality of life (QOL) in adults with a chronic tic disorder. The authors explored whether these relationships were moderated by anxiety and depressive symptoms. Five-hundred adults with Tourette's Disorder, Chronic Motor Tic Disorder, or Chronic Vocal Tic Disorder participated in a comprehensive self-report internet-based survey. Anxiety and depressive symptoms moderated the relationship between tic severity and functional impairment such that stronger relationships were documented in participants with elevated depressive or anxious symptoms. Limitations and implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.