Communication and Psychosocial Functioning in Children With Tourette Syndrome: Parent-Reported Measures.
Angela Feehan, Paola Colozzo, Lesley Pritchard and 2 others
PMID 40433972WHAT IT FOUND
Most children with Tourette syndrome showed average communication skills, but those with low scores were rarely diagnosed.
Co-occurring conditions did not predict communication ability. Lower communication scores correlated with higher psychosocial difficulties, suggesting a need for routine speech-language screening.
Key findings
01Thirty-one percent of children scored more than one standard deviation below the mean on general communication, yet only 10% of the total sample had a diagnosed communication disorder.
02The presence of ADHD, OCD, or anxiety did not significantly predict communication scores in this sample.
03Children with lower communication composite scores had significantly higher parent-reported psychosocial difficulties.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study relied entirely on parent report, with no direct child assessment or clinical observation, which may overstate difficulties due to parental bias or misinterpretation of tics as communication errors. The sample was highly educated (92% college/university) and lacked racial and linguistic diversity, limiting generalizability to the broader population. The high rate of co-occurring conditions (98%) made it difficult to isolate the specific impact of ADHD, OCD, or anxiety on communication skills. The study used a convenience sample recruited via social media and clinics, which may introduce selection bias.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that children with Tourette syndrome have communication disorders because they have tics or co-occurring conditions like ADHD. This study found no link between these diagnoses and lower communication scores, and most children scored within the average range. Screening is needed to identify the minority with genuine difficulties.