Attitude and knowledge of high school pupils towards adolescents with special needs (Tourette's syndrome)

Stigma for disabled individuals and their family: A systematic review

PURPOSE

The object of this systematic review is to examine the stigma status of people with disabilities and their families.

DESIGN AND METHODS

The systematic review was prepared based on the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols systematic review guidelines. The review was included thirteen studies.

FINDINGS

In the results of the study, it was revealed that people with disabilities experienced inequality and social exclusion, negative attitudes were observed regarding their appearance, also their families were subjected to stigmatization by the society, could not participate in social environments.

PRACTICE IMPLICATION

To prevent stigmatization, it is recommended that awareness in public be raised by providing community educations.

Living with tics: Nursing Care of Pediatric Tourette Syndrome

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental movement characterized by abrupt, rapid, repetitive, and non-rhythmic tics. While TS is not life-threatening, such tics and comorbidities affect a children's physical and mental health and social interactions. Treatment is necessary when the children experience physical discomfort, functional dysfunction, and poor interpersonal interaction and mental health. Common management strategies for TS include psychological interventions and pharmacological treatment. Additionally, it is important to consider the individual needs of youths with TS and reassess the treatment outcomes and the need to receive continuous treatment regularly. This review summarizes the symptom management and nursing care measures for youths with TS. Understanding and listening to the healthcare problems of youths with TS can help providers develop healthcare interventions tailored to the youths' needs. Providing the youths with strategies to reduce the tics' interference with their learning outcomes and helping them develop strategies to cope with diverse interpersonal interactions at school are also important. Further, enhancing acceptance given by parents, teachers, and peers, as well as improving the general public's understanding of TS are important measures that promote the youths' social adjustment as well as their ability to coexist with TS.

Beliefs about Tic Disorders and Tourette's Syndrome in South Korea: An Online Panel Survey

Objectives

This study investigates lay beliefs about the etiology and treatments of tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome, as well as identifying sociodemographic and personality variables affecting these beliefs among South Koreans.

Methods

In total, 673 participants (mean age 41.77±12.03 years) completed an online survey regarding their beliefs about tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome. The factors related to their lay beliefs about the disorders were analyzed, and the correlates were investigated.

Results

Results indicated that lay people in South Korea held strong beliefs that the causes of tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome lie within the parenting/psychological and neurological/biological categories, compared to the dietary/environmental one. Among the sociodemographic variables, sex, age, and levels of subjective mental health knowledge were primarily associated with the aforementioned beliefs. Familiarity with tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome was also associated with these beliefs. Among the personality traits investigated, extraversion and conscientiousness had significant influences on the beliefs people had about tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome.

Conclusion

The results suggest that both policy makers and mental health service providers should adopt a strategic approach for developing and implementing health education interventions about tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome because individual sociodemographic variables, familiarity with the disorders, and personality traits are all associated with the beliefs about these disorders.

Social stigma and self-perception in adolescents with tourette syndrome

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by multiple motor and vocal tics, which commonly presents with multiple behavioral problems, including co-morbid attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Both tics and co-morbid conditions have been shown to potentially affect patients’ health-related quality of life. While TS typically presents in childhood, its manifestations peak in severity during adolescence, a critical period in which affected individuals are exposed to potential stigma from peers. Physical and behavioral manifestations can also contribute to stigma, which subsequently leads to poorer health outcomes, discrimination, and a reduced willingness to seek help. The available evidence suggests that young patients with TS can experience reduced social acceptance from peers and difficulties establishing relationships. There is also evidence that some health care professionals share the unhelpful belief that young patients with TS should be disciplined in order to correct their disruptive behavior, based on the erroneous assumption that tics can be consciously controlled. Studies focussed on self-perception in patients with TS have yielded inconsistent results, with some studies showing problems in the domains of self-concept and self-esteem. Feelings of isolation, loneliness, and experiences of bullying have been reported more consistently. Interventions are required to reduce misconceptions about the condition and thus reduce stigma through targeted education and behavioral interventions. A multi-faceted approach that focuses on educating children, adults, and educators about TS would be beneficial to help alleviate stigma. This can be combined with self-advocacy and tailored psychological therapies for young patients with TS. The present paper reviews the current literature on stigma and self-perception in adolescents with TS in order to inform clinical decisions about management strategies and possible interventions to improve health-related quality of life.