Traditionally being primarily understood from observation of male subjects, gender and sex differences in neurodevelopmental conditions have attracted increased attention. As the proportion of girls and women diagnosed with tics increases, it is pertinent to assess group level differences. Gender differences in presentation of tics have been observed especially in children, though outcome data for CBT interventions for tics in children have not been investigated gender-wise until now. The data of 220 children and adolescents in a superiority randomized controlled trial comparing therapist supported internet-ERP and active placebo treatment was analyzed, utilizing linear mixed models to investigate relations between gender and treatment outcome. Analysis was conducted on scoring of tic severity, tic impairment, and global functioning. No analysis found gender differences in treatment outcome that were statistically significant. Boys may have improved more than girls in global functioning (p = .053), though the difference was minor. Future research should focus on more specific data to elicit eventual gender differences in treatment outcome.
Magnus Marming Lidman (Mon,) studied this question.