“Sorry, I Didn’t Mean to Kiss at You”: A Descriptive Analysis of Tourette Syndrome in Interpersonal Interactions

This study conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 adults who identified as having TS in order to investigate the ways in which others respond behaviorally to TS b ehaviors and the ways TS behaviors are misinterpreted within interpersonal interactions. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes common within participant responses. All participants reported receiving unwanted attention from others in response to their TS symptoms. Unwanted attention was furt her divided into six emergent subthemes, including verbal harassment, physical abuse, staring, general bullying, getting into trouble, and being kicked out. Three types of misunderstandings were also reported in interpersonal interactions: misunderstanding communicative intention, misunderstanding T S, and misunderstanding the cause of TS behaviors. Applying attribution theory, it is determined that it is ultimately the misattribution of communicative intent to TS behaviors that causes many misunderstandings reported by adults with TS and leads to a plethora of interpersonal, communicative chal lenges. Importantly, these misunderstandings are what ultimately contribute to much of the unwanted attention described by the participants in this study and documented in previous work, highlighting the value of a greater awareness of how misunderstandings take place with respect to TS.
Source: Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities - Category: Disability Source Type: research