IMPACT OF TOURETTE SYNDROME DISCLOSURE Marcks et al. Impact of Tourette Syndrome: A Preliminary Investigation of the Effects of Disclosure on Peer Perceptions and Social Functioning Brook A. Marcks, Kristoffer S. Berlin, Douglas W. Woods, and W. Hobart Davies Individuals with Tourette Syndrome (TS) often experience social difficulties, which may be caused or compounded by others’ negative perceptions of persons with the disorder. As a result, researchers and clinicians have called for the development of at- titude change strategies. One such strategy is preventative disclosure, in which one informs others about his or her condition. To date, no known research exists explor- ing the effects of this type of disclosure with TS. In an attempt to examine the effects of TS disclosure, adults (N =369) read vignettes that varied in a 2 (male vs. female character) × 2 (preventative disclosure of disorder vs. nondisclosure) design. Re- spondents answered several questions regarding the character presented in the vi- gnette, which when factor-analyzed, resulted in four factors (social rejection, attributions of a drug/alcohol problem, perceptions of psychological/medical prob- lems, and general concern). The results of this preliminary study are promising, in that the data suggest that preventative disclosure of TS may reduce social rejection, minimize concern, and decrease perceptions of drug and alcohol problems. No effect of character gender was found. Implications of these findings, limitations to the current study, and directions for future research are discussed. Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurobehavioral condition that can be diag- nosed if an individual exhibits multiple motor tics and at least one vocal tic without a tic-free period of longer than three months, if the tics started before the age of 18 years, and if the tics are not due to substance use or a general medical condition (American Psychiatric As- sociation, 2000). Tics associated with TS usu- ally occur many times a day, nearly every day, and cause a disruption in social, occupa- tional, or other areas of functioning. Al- though the presence of motor and vocal tics constitutes the diagnosis, individuals with TS exhibit higher rates of other disorders, such as attention–deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Comings & Comings, 1985), learn- ing disabilities (Zohar et al., 1999), obses- sive–compulsive disorder (Dedmon, 1990), depression, and anxiety (Pitman, Green, Jenike, & Mesulam, 1987). In addition to comorbid psychological concerns, those with TS may experience diffi- culties in social functioning. Research has shown that children with TS are viewed as more withdrawn and less popular than their Psychiatry 70(1) Spring 2007 59 Brook A. Marcks, MS, and Kristoffer S. Berlin, MS, are graduate students in clinical psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Douglas W. Woods, PhD, and W. Hobart Davies, PhD, are As- sociate Professors in the Department of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Address correspondence to Douglas W. Woods, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201; E–mail: dwoods@uwm.edu.