Association of Tic Disorders with Poor Academic Performance. A longitudinal, mainstream-population based study

Resumen

Objective: To analyze whether the presence of tic disorders are associated with an increased risk for developing poor academic performance overtime.Background: Little is known about the evolution of academic performance in students with tic disorders.Design/Methods: Longitudinal, observational study conducted in a randomly selected sample of mainstream schoolchildren of exposed pupils (with tics) and non-exposed (without tics). The sampling frame included different types of schools and educational levels. Individuals were evaluated at baseline (2008,2009) and at follow-up (2014). Poor academic performance was defined as grade retention (GR) since 2010, learning disorders (LD) based on validated psychoeducational assessments, and tic disorders based on DSM-IV-TR criteria. Students with/without tics and with/without poor academic performance were compared in terms of comorbidities, school, and environmental characteristics. The association of tic disorders with GR was analyzed by using Cox regression models, hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals, and with LD by using logistic regression analysis [Odds ratio (OR)], after adjusting for confounding variables.Results: 264 pupils were included (mean age 14.0 ± 1.71), 148 (56%) males. Tics were present in 77 (29.2%), GR in 34 (13.2%), and LD in 21 (9.9%). Tic disorders was associated with LD (OR= 7.2, 95% CI 1.6–32.3, p=0.009) and attention deficit disorder (OR=7.5, 95% CI 1.8–31.2, p=0.005). Instead, in the Cox regression analysis, grade retention was associated with lower frequency of psychological support (HRs=17.5 95% CI 5.7– 53.9) and lower sport performance (HRs=4.02, 95% CI 1.3–11.8).Conclusions: In this longitudinal study tic disorders were associated with academic difficulties, namely LD in conjunction with ADHD, but not with GR. Instead, GR was independently associated with potentially modifiable environmental factors such as lack of psychological support at school and low sport performance.Study Supported by: Junta de Castilla y Leon, SOC/BU01/13Disclosure: Dr. Cubo has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gonzalez-Deza has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ausin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Delgado has nothing to disclose. Dr. Saez has nothing to disclose. Dr. Calvo has nothing to disclose. Dr. Garcia has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cordero has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kompoliti has nothing to disclose. Dr. Louis has nothing to disclose. Dr. de la Fuente has nothing to disclose.