In a paper published this week, MindTech and Institute of Mental Health researchers demonstrate the clinical and cost effectiveness of online remote behaviour therapy for young people with tics.
Findings from a long-term follow-up study, testing an online therapist-supported treatment for children and adolescents with tic disorders, have been published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. The results demonstrate the potential for online behaviour therapy to be an effective and durable treatment option for children and young people, many of whom currently struggle to access specialist services. Additionally, the study found online delivery of treatment was a cost-effective way to deliver therapy.
The Online Remote Behavioural Intervention for Tics (ORBIT) trial compared an online behavioural therapy with an online psychoeducation programme in 9-17 year olds with Tourette syndrome or chronic tic disorder. This paper builds on the study’s previous findings that online, therapist-supported exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a safe and effective intervention, improving access to treatment for this under-served group of young people.
Around 70,000 children and young people in England have Tourette Syndrome, the condition most commonly associated with chronic tics. Despite the profound impact tics have on the lives of those who experience them, less than 1 in 5 people living with tics have access to behavioural therapy.
It’s shocking that a condition so prevalent has such inadequate access to medical care. More than 300,000 people in the UK are known to have Tourette’s, but that number is probably much, much higher. Many people report that they are unable to access treatment locally, more often than not, they gain a diagnosis and then are discharged with no access to treatment. I’ve heard from parents who talk of holding their child in their arms in tears, unable to stop motor tics that are so repetitive they become physically painful. Adults who describe muscle spasms so intense and so uncontrollable that they are in extreme pain and yet are unable to stop the tics. The results from this trial are very promising, enabling individuals to access evidence-based treatment to help them better manage and control their tics online. This will be extremely beneficial to individuals who currently have no services local to them. It could potentially improve the lives of so many people. Emma McNally, CEO Tourettes Action.
It’s shocking that a condition so prevalent has such inadequate access to medical care. More than 300,000 people in the UK are known to have Tourette’s, but that number is probably much, much higher. Many people report that they are unable to access treatment locally, more often than not, they gain a diagnosis and then are discharged with no access to treatment.
I’ve heard from parents who talk of holding their child in their arms in tears, unable to stop motor tics that are so repetitive they become physically painful. Adults who describe muscle spasms so intense and so uncontrollable that they are in extreme pain and yet are unable to stop the tics. The results from this trial are very promising, enabling individuals to access evidence-based treatment to help them better manage and control their tics online. This will be extremely beneficial to individuals who currently have no services local to them. It could potentially improve the lives of so many people.
Emma McNally, CEO Tourettes Action.
Dr Charlotte Hall, Principal Research Fellow and ORBIT Trial Manager commented:
These findings are really exciting. They are the first to show the long-term benefits of online delivered therapy for tics. We hear a lot from clinicians who want to be able to offer tic therapy but don’t have the skills, money, or resources to offer it. Likewise, we know families who are desperate to access therapy. Given the importance of our findings in being able to bridge this gap in service provision, we are now working actively with various stakeholders to be able to offer ORBIT as a service within the NHS.
The ORBIT trial was led by Professor Chris Hollis and is a partnership between NIHR MindTech, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Great Ormond Street Hospital, University of Nottingham, University College London (Priment) and the Karolinska Institutet (Sweden). Researchers worked closely with the charity Tourettes Action.
This research was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Heath Technology Assessment (HTA) (Ref 16/19/02) and recently featured as an NIHR Alert owing to its clinical significance.
For more information on the ORBIT Trial email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.