Health Library

Tics: Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention (CBIT)

CBIT is based on these three simple observations about tics:

• Tics may get better in some situations and worse in others.
• Tics are often done in response to a feeling or urge.
• Tics can often be stopped or postponed.

What is Involved in CBIT?

For CBIT to be successful, the child or adult needs to:

• Attend (in person or virtual) therapy training sessions.
• Practice suppressing tics, as instructed by the therapist.

How Does CBIT Work?

CBIT is based on these simple actions, which teach people to tic less:

Who Can Teach CBIT?

Any person who has had CBIT training can perform this treatment, such as a doctor, nurse, social worker or psychologist/counselor. The number of visits can be different for each person.

Additional Resources

• Visit the Tourette Association of America (TAA)
• Managing Tourette Syndrome: A Behavioral Intervention Workbook, Parent Workbook. Douglas W. Woods, John Piacentini, Susanna Chang, Thilo Deckersbach, Golda Ginsburg, Alan Peterson, Lawrence D. Scahill, John T. Walkup, Sabine Wilhelm. Oxford University Press.