# Remote Delivery of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Tics

> **NIH NIH R01** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $524,869

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Tourette Syndrome and persistent tic disorders (collectively TS) are characterized by the childhood onset of tics
that cause functional impairment and persist into adulthood in most cases. Alongside tics, patients with TS
experience premonitory urges and comorbid mental health conditions (e.g., anxiety, ADHD, OCD, depression)
that all diminish quality of life. Presently, only two evidence-based treatments exist for patients with TS: behavior
therapy and pharmacotherapy. Behavior therapy is recommended as the first-line treatment for TS. However,
60% of adults with TS do not respond to behavior therapy and it does not confer any benefit for common
comorbid mental health conditions. It is also inaccessible for many. Less than 20% of adults with TS receive
behavior therapy because of limited accessibility to trained TS providers. Consequently, most adults with TS rely
on FDA-approved medications for tic management, which infrequently produce tic remission and are often
discontinued due to adverse health effects. Thus, it is critical to identify new safe, efficacious, and accessible
treatments to improve therapeutic outcomes and quality of life for adults with TS. In response, our team has
developed an online mindfulness-based group intervention for tics (MBIT). Our pilot clinical trial compared group
MBIT to group psychoeducation, relaxation, and supportive therapy (PRST) in adults with TS. All interventions
and assessments were delivered remotely using secure telehealth platforms and online electronic data capture
systems. MBIT was found to be feasible, acceptable, and efficacious for reducing tic severity and impairment
relative to PRST. Additionally, MBIT produced improvement in comorbid mental health conditions, and sustained
benefit for up to 6-months. Building on this work, we will conduct a randomized clinical trial (RCT) that: (1) tests
the efficacy of MBIT for reducing tic severity, (2) examines the mechanism by which MBIT reduces tic severity,
(3) evaluates the secondary benefit of MBIT for comorbid mental health conditions and quality of life, and (4)
explores the long-term benefit of MBIT. Here, 150 adults with TS with moderate or greater tic severity will
participate. Adults will complete a baseline assessment to characterize tic severity, premonitory urge severity,
the severity of comorbid mental health conditions, and quality of life. Next, participants will be randomized to 8
weekly sessions of group MBIT or group PRST in a 1:1 ratio. Participants will complete mid-treatment, post-
treatment, 1-month and 3-month follow-up assessments. Participants receiving MBIT will also complete a 6-
month follow-up to assess its sustained benefit. All ratings will be made by an independent evaluator (IE) masked
to treatment condition. Findings will establish a new, accessible, evidence-based treatment for adults with TS
that comprehensively reduces tic severity, improves co-occurring mental health conditions and quality of life, a...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10893485
- **Project number:** 5R01AT012455-02
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Joseph McGuire
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $524,869
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-08-01 → 2028-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10893485

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10893485, Remote Delivery of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Tics (5R01AT012455-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10893485. Licensed CC0.

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