Assessment of quality of life and self-esteem in children with cronic tic disorders, investigation of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder comorbidity

The aim of this study to determine self-esteem and life quality of children and adolescents with chronic motor or vocal tic disorder or Tourette's Syndrome, and the difference between children or adolescents who admitted to hospital and had no severe medical condition or any psychiatric disorder, if there is a difference then to determine the factors that contribute to self-esteem and quality of life in children with chronic tic disorders. The other aim of this study is to determine attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder comorbidity in chronic tic disorders. The study population has consisted of 57 children and adolescents who were 6 to 16 years old and referred to the Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry clinic with chronic motor or vocal tic disorder or Tourette's Syndrome according to DSM-IV. Control group has consisted of 57 children and adolescents who had matched age and sex and referred to the hospital with different complaints without severe medical or mental chronical diseases. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, PedsQL 4.0 TM, The Screen and Evaluation for Disruptive Behavior Disorders Based on DSM-IV Scale, Child Depression Inventory (CDI), The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) scale, Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory are used. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 13.0 for Windows. All test values were considered significant at p less than 0.05. Except for emotional and social functioning areas, in all children's and parents' rated quality of life subscales, children and adolescents with chronic tic disorders or Tourette's Syndrome had a lower quality of life levels than the control group. Self-esteem levels were also lower than the control group. The most frequent comorbid psychiatric disorders were attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (40.4%). Children and adolescents with chronic tic disorders often experience low self-esteem and quality of life. When the intervention to tics is planning it would be appropriate to take into consideration the patient's life quality and self-esteem.