Publications

  • Wellen, B.C.M., Ramanujam, P., Lavelle, M., Capriotti, M., Butner, J., Euler, M. & Himle, M.B. (2023). A test of the behavioral model of tic disorders using a dynamical systems framework. Behavior Therapy. Accepted, 08/18/2023.
  • Wellen, B.C.M., Bootes, K.R., Braley, E.J., Conelea, C.A., Woods, D.W. & Himle, M.B. (2023). Caregiver perspectives on the healthcare system for tic disorders: Utilization and barriers. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Accepted, 08/08/2023.
  • Capriotti, M., Wellen, B.C.M., Young, B, Himle, M.B., Conelea, C.A., Espil, F., Simpson, H. & Mathews, C. (2023). Evaluating the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of tele-comprehensive behavior therapy for tics (teleCBIT) for Tourette syndrome in youth and adults. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. Published, 08/07/2023.
  • Franklin, M.E., Englemann, J.M., Bulkes, N.Z., Hovarth, G., Piacsek, K., Osterlund, E., Freeman, J.B., Schwartz, R., Himle, M.B. & Riemann, B.C. (2023). Intensive CBT telehealth for pediatric OCD during the COVID-19 pandemic: Comparison with a matched sample treated in person. JAACAP Open. Accepted, 07/02/2023.
  • Conelea, C.A., Bennett, S., Himle, M.B., Hamilton, S., Hunt, C., Shineman, D., Mathews, C. & Capriotti, M. (2023). Treating Tourette Together: An agenda for patient-centered research focused on comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics. Behavior Therapy. Accepted, 06/30/2023.
  • Bootes, K., Braley, E. & Himle, M.B. (2023). Tic Disorders. In S. Hupp & D. Tolin Science-Based Psychotherapy: Components of Evidence-Based Treatments. Cambridge University Press. Accepted, 06/06/2023.
  • Woods, D.W., Himle, M.B., Stiede, J.T. & Pitts, B.X. (2023). Behavioral interventions for children and adults with tic disorders. Annual Reviews of Psychology. Vol. 9, 233-260. Published, 05/09/2023.
  • Bootes, K., Wellen, B., Braley, E. & Himle, M.B. (2022). Tic Disorders. In S. Hupp (Ed.) Pseudoscience in Therapy: A Skeptical Field Guide. Cambridge University Press. Accepted, 11/22/2022.
  • Bootes, K. & Himle, M.B. (2022). Tic Disorders. In Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology. Elsevier. Accepted, 09/03/2022.
  • McGuire, J.F., Bennett, S.M., Conelea, C.A., Himle, M.B., Anderson, S., Ricketts, E.J., Capriotti,M.R., Lewin, A.B., McNulty, D.C., Thompson, L., Espil, F.M., Nadeau, S.E., McConnell, M., Woods, D.W., Walkup, J.T. & Piacentini, J. (2021). Distinguishing and managing acute-onset complex tic-like behaviors in adolescence. (pp. 1445-1447). Vol. 60. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published, 12/01/2021.
  • Kirby AV, Feldman KJC, Himle MB, Diener ML, Wright CA & Hoffman JM (2021). Pilot test of the Maximizing Adolescent Post-Secondary Success (MAPSS) intervention: Supporting parents of autistic youth. American Journal of Occupational Therapy. Published, 05/01/2021.
  • McGuire, JF, Piacentini J, Storch EA, Ricketts EJ, Woods DW, Peterson AL, Walkup JT, Wilhelm S, Ramsey K, Essoe JKY, Himle MB, Lewin AB, Chang S, Murphy TK, McCracken JT & Scahill L (2021). Defining tic severity and tic impairment in Tourette Disorder. Journal of Psychiatric Research. Published, 01/15/2021.
  • Graham Holmes, L, Shattuck PT, Nilssen AR, Strassberg DS & Himle MB (2020). Sexual and reproductive health service utilization and sexuality for teens on the autism spectrum. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Vol. 41, 667-679. Published, 12/01/2020.
  • Kirby AV, Cottle Feldman, KJ, Hoffman JM, Diener ML & Himle MB (2020). Transition preparation activities and expectations for the transition to adulthood among parents of autistic youth. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Vol. 78. Published, 10/01/2020.
  • Graham-Holmes, L, Strassberg, DS & Himle MB (2020). Family sexuality communication: Parent report for autistic young adults versus a comparison group. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Vol. 50, 3018-3031. Published, 08/01/2020.
  • Miltenberger, R.G., Steide, J., Woods, D.W. & Himle, M.B. (2020). Tic disorders and trichotillomania. In P. Sturmey (Ed.) Functional analysis in clinical treatment (2nd. Ed.). Elsevier. Published, 03/21/2020.
  • Malaty, I., Shineman, D. & Himle, M.B. (2019). Commentary: Tourette Syndrome has substantial impact in childhood and adulthood as well. (pp. 468-469). Vol. 40. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. Published, 07/01/2019.
  • Graham-Holmes, L.G., Strassberg, D.S. & Himle, M.B. (2019). Family sexuality communication for adolescent girls on the autism spectrum. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disabilities. Vol. 49, 2403-2416. Published, 06/01/2019.
  • Himle, M.B. & Wellen, B. (2019). Evidence-Based Practice & Pseudoscience in Tic Disorders. In S. Hupp (Ed.) Pseudoscience in Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy. Cambridge University Press. Published, 02/01/2019.
  • Wellen, B. & Himle, M.B. (2018). Evidence-Based Treatment of Tic Disorders. in S. Hupp (Ed.) Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy. Cambridge University Press. Published, 12/01/2018.
  • Graham-Holmes, L.G., Kirby, A.V., Strassberg, D.S. & Himle, M.B. (2018). Parent expectations and preparatory activities as adolescents with ASD transition to adulthood. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders. Vol. 48, 2925-2937. Published, 09/01/2018.
  • Stiede, J.T., Alexander, J.R., Wellen, B., Bauer, C.C., Himle, M.B., Mouton-Odum, S. & Woods, D.W. (2018). Differentiating tic-related from non-tic-related impairment in children with persistent tic disorders. Comprehensive Psychiatry. Vol. 87, 38-45. Published, 08/20/2018.
  • Himle, M.B., Wellen, B. & Hayes, L. (2018). Family Issues Associated with Tics. In J. McGuire, T. Murphy, J. Piacentini, & E. Storch (Eds.) The Clinician’s Guide to Treatment and Management of Youth with Tourette Syndrome and Tic Disorders. . Elsevier. Published, 06/19/2018.
  • Conelea, C.A., Wellen, B., Woods, D.W., Greene, D.J., Black, K.J., Specht, M., Himle, M.B., Lee, H.J. & Capriotti, M. (2018). Patterns and predictors of tic suppressibility in youth with tic disorders. Frontiers in Psychiatry. Vol. 9. Published, 05/23/2018.
  • Tourette Association of America & Himle, M.B., Tukuafu, E. (2017). Navigating Tourette Syndrome: A Young Adult's Guide (Toolkit). Tourette Association of America. Published, 12/2017.
  • Wellen, B. & Himle, M.B. (2017). From cook to culinarian: Going beyond the manual when delivering behavior therapy to treat Tourette disorder. Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy. Vol. 13, 51-62. Published, 03/01/2017.
  • Tourette Association of America & Himle, M.B., Jankovic, J., Lehman, R.K., Mink, J.W., Simpson, H., McNaught, K., Giordano, K., & Jemma, A. (2017). Navigating Tourette Syndrome: A Patient's Guide to Diagnosis, Treatment, and Support (Toolkit). Tourette Association of America. Published, 01/2017.
  • Himle, M.B. & Capriotti, M. (2016). Behavior therapy for Tourette disorder: An update. Current Beahvioral Neuroscience Reports, 3, 211-217. Published, 09/01/2016.
  • Holmes, L., Himle, M.B., & Strassberg, D.S. (2016). Parental romantic expectations and parent-child sexuality communication in autism spectrum disorders. Autism, 20, 687-699. Published, 08/01/2016.
  • Rickets, E.J., Goetz, A.R., Capriotti, M.R., Bauer, C.C., Brei, N.G., Himle, M.B., Espil, F.M., Snorrason, I., Ran, D., & Woods, D.W. (2016). A randomized wait-list controlled trial of voice over internet protocol delivered behavior therapy for youth with chronic tic disorders. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 22, 153-162. Published, 04/01/2016.
  • Ricketts, E.J., Bauer, C.C., Ran. D., Himle, M.B., & Woods, D.W. (2016). Pilot open case series of voice over internet protocol-delivered behavior therapy for chronic tic disorders. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 23, 40-50.. Published, 02/25/2016.
  • Ramanujam, K., & Himle, M.B. (2016). Treatment of a youngster with Tourettic obsessive-compulsive disorder. In E. Storch and A. Lewin (Eds.), Clinical Handbooks of Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders: A Case-Based Approach to Treating Pediatric and Adult Populations. Springer Publishing Group. Published, 01/01/2016.
  • Hayes, L., Himle, M.B., & Piacentini, J.P. (2016). Treatment of Tourette Syndrome in Children. In E. Storch and A. Lewin (Eds.) Clinical Handbook of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders: A Case-Based Approach to Treating Pediatric and Adult Populations. Springer Publishing Group. Published, 01/01/2016.
  • Holmes, L., Himle, M.B., & Strassberg, D.S. (2016). Parental sexuality-related concerns for adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and average or above IQ. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 21, 84-93. Published, 01/01/2016.
  • Shprecher, D., Kious, B., & Himle, M.B. (2015). Advances in mechanistic understanding and treatment approaches to Tourette syndrome. Discovery Medicine, 20, 295-301. Published, 11/01/2015.
  • Brabson, L.A., Brown, J., Ramanujam, K., Himle, M., Nicotra, C.M., …Specht, M. (2015). Patterned changes in urge ratings with tic suppression in youth with chronic tic disorders. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 13, 162-170. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2015.07.004. Published, 10/01/2015.
  • Ramanujam, K., & Himle, M.B. (2015). Tic Disorders & Tourette. In H. Friedman (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Mental Health, 2nd ed., Elsevier: Oxford, UK. Published, 09/17/2015.
  • Himle, M.B., Hayes, L., & Shprecher, D. (2015). Tic Disorders. In G. Kapalka (Ed.) Disruptive Disorders: A Concise Guide to Psychological, Pharmacological, and Integrative Treatments. Routledge Pub. Published, 03/01/2015.
  • Himle, M.B. (2015). Let truth be thy aim, not victory: Comment on Theory-Based Exposure Processes. Journal of Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Disorders, 6, 183-190. Published, 02/28/2015.
  • Capriotti, M.R., Piacentini, J.C., Himle, M.B., Rickets, E.J., Espil, F.M., Lee, H.J., Turkel, J.E., & Woods, D.W. (2015). Assessing environmental consequences if ticcing in youth with chronic tic disorders: The Tic Accommodation and Reactions Scale. Children’s Health Care, 44, 205-220.. Published, 02/02/2015.
  • Ramanujam, K., Himle, M.B., Hayes, L.P., Woods, D.W., Scahill, L.D., Sukhodolsky, D.G., Wilhelm, S., Deckersbach, T., Peterson, A.L., Walkup, J.T., Chang, S., Piacentini, J.C. (2015). Correlates and predictors of caregiver strain in chidlren with chronic tic disorders. Children's Health Care, 44, 249-263.. Published, 01/02/2015.
  • Capriotti, M.R., Himle, M.B., Woods, D.W. (2014). Behavioral treatments for Tourette syndrome. Journal of Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders, 3, 415-420. Published, 10/01/2014.
  • Himle, M.B. & Hayes, L.P. (2014). Tourette disorder and tics. In E. Storch & D. McKay (Eds.) Obsessive compulsive disorder and its spectrum: A lifespan Approach. American Psychological Association Press. Published, 09/2014.
  • Shprecher, D., Himle, M.B., Schrock, L. (2014). Neurobehavioral aspects, pathophysiology, and management of Tourette’s syndrome. Current Opinion in Neurology, 27, 484-492. Published, 09/01/2014.
  • Petersen, H.A., Ferraro, F.R., Himle, M.B., Schultz, C., Poolman, M. (2014). Neuropsychological factors related to college ice hockey concussions. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, 29, 201-204. Published, 04/22/2014.
  • Holmes, L., Himle, M.B., Sewell, K., Carbone, P.S., Strassberg, D.S., & Murphy, N.A. (2014). Addressing sexuality in children with autism spectrum disorders: Current pediatric practices and barriers. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 35, 172-178. Published, 04/22/2014.
  • Himle, M.B., Capriotti, M., Hayes, L., Wilhelm, S. Deckersback, T., Specht, M., Walkup, J., Scahill, L., Sukholdolsky, D., Peterson, A., Chang, S., & Piacentini, J. (2014). Variables associated with tic exacerbation in children with chronic tic disorders. Behavior Modification, 38, 163-183. Published, 04/22/2014.
  • Himle, M.B., & Wright, K.A. (2014). Behavioral Skills Training to Reduce Child Passenger Safety Restrain Misuse. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 47, 549-559. Published, 04/2014.
  • Holmes, L., & Himle, M.B. (2014). Parent-child sexuality communication and autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44, 2964-2970.. Published, 03/2014.
  • Scahill, L., Woods, D.W., Himle, M.B., Peterson, A.L., Wilhelm, S., Piacentini, J.C., McNaught, K., Walkup, J.T., & Mink, J.W. (2013). Current controversies on the role of behavior therapy in Tourette syndrome. Movement Disorders. Published, 12/2013.
  • Himle, M.B. & Hayes, L.P. (2013). Treating trichotillomania. In L. Grossman & S. Walfish (Eds.) Translating research into practice: A desk reference for practicing mental health professionals. Springer Publishing. Published, 05/2013.
  • Hayes L.P. & Himle, M.B. (2013). Treating tic disorders. In L. Grossman & S. Walfish (Eds.) Translating research into practice: A desk reference for practicing mental health professionals. Springer Publishing. Published, 05/2013.
  • Olufs, E., Himle, M.B., & Bradley, A. (2013). The effect of generic versus personally delivered education and self-disclosure on the social acceptability of adults with Tourette syndrome. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 25, 395-403. Published, 01/2013.
  • Himle, M.B., Freitag, M., Walther, M., Franklin, S.A., Ely, L., & Woods, D.W. (2012). A randomized pilot trial comparing videoconference versus face-to-face delivery of behavior therapy for childhood tic disorders (2012). Behaviour Research and Therapy, 50, 565-570. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2012.05.009. Published, 05/2012.
  • Himle MB, Woods, DW (2011) Toward comprehensive clinical care for a complex condition. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 23, 1-4. Published, 01/2011.
  • Woods, D.W., Conelea, C.A. & Himle, M.B., (2010). Behavior Therapy for Tourette’s Disorder: Utilization in a community sample and an emerging area of practice. Professional Psychology: Research & Practice, 41, 518-525. Published, 12/2010.
  • Himle, M.B., Olufs, E., Himle, J.A., Tucker, B.T.P., & Woods, D.W. (2010). Behavior therapy for tics via videoconference delivery: An initial pilot test in children. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 17, 329-337. Published, 06/2010.
  • Garcia, A.M., Freeman, J.B,. Himle, M.B., Berman, N.C., Ogata, A.K., Ng, J., Choate-Summers, M.L., & Leonard, H. et al. (2009). Phenomenology of early childhood onset obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 31, 104-111. Published, 2009.
  • Himle, M.B., & Franklin, M.E. (2009). The more you do it, the easier it gets. Exposure and response prevention for OCD. Cognitive & Behavioral Practice, 16, 29-39. Published, 2009.
  • Chang, S., Himle, M.B., Woods, D.W. & Piacentini, J.C. (2009). Initial psychometric properties of a brief parent-report instrument for assessing tic severity in children with chronic tic disorders. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 31, 181-191. Published, 2009.

Research Statement

 

My primary area of research is focused on better understanding and treating obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders with an emphasis on chronic tic disorders (CTDs).  CTDs are a class of complex neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by involuntary motor and vocal tics. Once thought to be exceptionally rare, several converging lines of research suggest that tics are quite common (occurring in up to 20% of school-aged children), fall along a continuum from transient/benign to persistent/problematic, and for some children are a clinical indicator of  risk for a broad range of internalizing and externalizing psychopathology.  Although the exact cause of TS is unknown, tics have historically been conceptualized as purely biological and resulting from structural and functional abnormalities within cortico-stiato-thalamo-cotrical brain circuitry. However recent research, including my own, has demonstrated that a broad range of cognitive, behavioral, and psychosocial (i.e., contextual) factors influence the frequency, intensity, and complexity of tics and play an important role in the overall progression and course of both tics (i.e., motor) and comorbid psychological/behavioral symptoms. For the past several years, I have been developing and employing a cognitive-behavioral framework that appreciates biological, developmental, and contextual influences to better understand transdiagnostic factors that underlie both tics and the internalizing and externalizing problems that co-occur in CTD.  I argue that reconceptualizing CTDs from a transdiagnostic perspective will lead to an accelerated and more thorough understanding of the broad range of symptoms that characterize CTD, a better understanding and appreciation for individual differences in the clinical course of symptoms (developmental, contextual, cultural, and family-systems level variables), and more efficacious nonpharmacological interventions. The specific areas I have been researching over the past several years are described below.

  1. Understanding CTD and comorbidity from a transdiagnostic perspective. Although motor and vocal tics may be the defining characteristic of CTD, they frequently occur within a broader presentation of comorbidity and neuropsychiatric phenomena. In fact, most children with CTD meet criteria for >1 one comorbid psychiatric diagnosis (referred to as CTD+) with OCD, anxiety, and ADHD being the most common. An even larger percentage display internalizing and externalizing symptoms that do not meet full diagnostic criteria but are nonetheless problematic and numerous studies have shown that comorbid symptoms are a stronger predictor of functional impairment, family problems, and decreased quality of life than the tics themselves. However, current best practice guidelines for psychosocial management of the complex pattern of comorbidity observed in CTD (and other disorders of childhood) are based on empirically supported intervention (ESI) protocols developed and tested in isolation for single diagnoses (e.g., exposure and response prevention for OCD, parent training interventions for ADHD). For children with multiple comorbidities (as is the case in CTD+), sequential administration of ESIs based on specific diagnoses has several limitations. First, it is difficult to determine which symptoms to prioritize, resulting in delaying intervention for impairing problems. Relatedly, sequential treatment is not an efficient approach when treating multiple comorbidities.  Second, internalizing and externalizing symptoms interact to influence each other and symptoms of one problem (e.g., defiance) can interfere with treatment of another (e.g., OCD). Sequentially administering ESIs fails to adequately address these additive and interactive elements. Rather, there seems a need for a transdiagnostic approach to treatment. The transdiagnostic approach draws from a unifying theoretical model that explains disparate conditions via shared mechanisms. Rather than splitting disorders based on taxonomy (e.g., DSM or ICD criteria), this approach targets shared cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and interpersonal processes that unify or explain varied clinical phenomenon. Furthermore, it assumes that these factors are causally interrelated such that altering one aspect of the system will have effects on the other features. Extrapolating from the diverse literatures on processes underlying internalizing and externalizing conditions, I have proposed that five interrelated and interactivetransdiagnostic processes are particularly relevant for conceptualizing and treating internalizing and externalizing symptoms in CTD+: impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, information processing deficits, cognitive and behavioral avoidance, and interpersonal and family factors. I am in the process of developing and testing transdiagnostic treatment protocols for the varied symptom profiels that are common in CTD+.  
  1. The influence of contextual factors on tics and comorbid symptoms: There is increasing data showing that although motor and vocal tics are involuntary, they are impacted by a variety of environmental variables. Historically, research in this area has focused on variables that were thought to have a direct biological influence (stress, anxiety). However research from my lab and others has shown that environmental influences are much more dynamic and are often socially mediated. My research focuses on understanding how operant and respondent-conditioning principles can be applied to explain how/why contextual stimuli and social consequences shape and facilitate tic suppression, even though the symptoms are involuntary. Much of my early work used carefully controlled small-N methods to demonstrate that tic suppression/expression can be facilitated by operant reinforcement and tics (i.e., frequency) can be brought under contextual control (see Woods & Himle, 2004; Himle et al., 2007b, Woods et al., 2008). Several research laboratories across the country are now using this operant tic-suppression paradigm to better understand the role of reinforcement on response inhibition in TD (a transdiagnostic factor also related to ADHD in some children), including the underlying brain mechanisms. Although I continue to pursue this line of experimental research, I am also interested in it’s clinical application. For example, using a function-based assessment protocol I examined common antecedent and consequence variables associated with tic exacerbation in a large sample of children with TS and found that that specific functional patterns were common (especially attention and escape functions) and predicted tic severity. The next logical steps in this line of research, which are currently ongoing in my lab, are to (1) validate the functional assessment protocol (i.e., using functional analysis and experimental reinforced suppression paradigms), (2) examine whether functional variables (e.g., social reactions in families) predict the immediate and long-term course of tic expression and (3) to formally test whether function-based intervention strategies can help reduce tics. For example, we recently completed a project in which we were able to demonstrate that, for some children, symptom expression was altered when tics (or periods of tic absence) were followed by reward even when children were not aware of the contingency (Hayes, Himle, et al., in prep).  I believe such findings have important implications for understanding the course of CTD and ultimately lead to advances in non-pharmacological treatment.
  1. Learning Mechanisms Underlying Tic Control: Another major focus of my research is on understanding the mechanisms by which nonpharmacological treatments are effective for reducing tics and comorbid symptoms. Although current treatments (e.g., habit reversal training, HRT, and suppression treatments) have shown to be effective for reducing tics, there is considerable variability in treatment response both within and between individuals. In addition, little is known about how these treatments work or whether they share common mechanisms or even target shared mechanistic factors. The hypothesis with the most empirical support is the urge-reduction model (preventing the tic results in habituation to premonitory urges thereby extinguishing the negative reinforcement cycle; Himle et al., 2007a, Himle et al., 2008). While this hypothesis may explain why seemingly different psychosocial treatments show similar levels of efficacy, group studies have cast doubt on whether pre-tic urges indeed habituate during suppression (Conelea, Himle, et al., in press). However we recently examined the effects of awareness training and competing response training on pre-tic urges using a more systematic and sensitive test of urge habituation (Ramanjam & Himle, in prep) and have found that (a) urges indeed do not habituate during suppression, (b) urges ratings do show a pattern consistent with habituation during HRT (suggesting HRT operates differently from suppression), and (c) it appears that different tics serve different functions and the function changes over time, possibly as a result of the aforementioned social contingencies. This is consistent with some of my previous research showing that pre-tic sensations are described differently (and are likely not functional) early in the course of the disorder (Chang et al., 2009) but the stimulus function of the “urge” changes over time. This suggests that future research may need to examine treatment based on mechanisms of change (i.e., targeting the specific function of specific tics).  
  1. Implementation and Dissemination: My final primary area of research involves systematically identifying and addressing barriers to implementation and dissemination of effective childhood interventions, again using TD as a model. Both Chronic Tic Disorders and OCD have been shown to be responsive to psychosocial treatments (HRT for TS, see Himle et al., 2006; Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD, see Freeman et al., 2008). Despite data supporting their efficacy, these treatments are not widely available (Woods, Conelea, & Himle, 2010a). Developing and evaluating effective dissemination strategies for psychosocial treatments has become a primary focus of mental health research.  In my view, dissemination needs to follow two data-driven steps. First, barriers must be systematically identified, and second, barriers must be systematically addressed. My past research (see Woods, Conelea, & Himle, 2010) has identified that practical barriers (travel, time, lack of providers) are the most commonly cited barriers inhibiting the use of psychosocial interventions for TS. One way to address these dissemination barriers is the use of technology. For example, I completed the first pilot investigation examining the efficacy, acceptability, and feasibility of HRT delivered via videoconference (see Himle et al., 2010b), completed a multi-site randomized pilot trial comparing video-conference delivered HRT to face-to-face delivery (Himle et al., 2012), and examined the delivery of behavior therapy using a voice over internet (VoIP) protocol (Ricketts et al., 2016), and most recently collaborated with a colleague to examine the acceptability and efficacy of a telehealth dissemination model for CTD (ongoing). Results of each of these studies has shown telehealth to be effective for delivering HRT. Another way to utilize technology to address practical barriers is to deliver the intervention online. Along these lines, I have partnered with the company Psych Tech, Ltd. to develop and test an individualized, adaptive online program for delivering behavior therapy to individuals with tics (called TicHelper). Together with PsycTech, we were awarded and completed an NIMH Phase I R43 (SBIR) project in which we developed and tested a prototype of the tic helper program (with positive results) and were awarded a Phase II (R44) to finalize development and test TicHelper in a randomized controlled trial (Himle et al., in prep). We are now developing a companion online program to train therapists to administer evidence-based treatment that we are calling CBIT-Trainer that utilizes research-informed instructional design methods and technologies. Similar to the TicHelper project, we were awarded an NIMH R43 to develop and test a prototype of this program and found it to be effective for training therapists to administer CBIT with fidelity.  Based on our Phase I results, we are now applying for a follow-up R44 to conduct a non-inferiority trial comparing CBIT-Trainer to an intensive in-person training (the Tourette Association of America’s Behavior Therapy Training Institute, which is the current gold standard for training therapist in CBIT).  A few of the most exciting aspects of the TicHelper and CBIT-Trainer programs are that they are designed to be adaptive and have built in program evaluation tools. These features will allow us to continually update and evaluate each program as new research emerges. I also view these programs as models for increasing dissemination and implementation of evidence-based treatments more generally and plan to extend them to, among other things, a broader range of habit behaviors.

A secondary area of research emphasis that has emerged for me more recently is understanding and promoting healthy sexual development, sexuality, relationships, and quality of life for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental conditions. I have been particularly interested in understanding how individual, family, and community (attitudes, policy, etc.) factors interact to influence the development and maintenance of intimate relationships, sexual development, physical and sexual health, and quality of life for individuals on the spectrum. Recent research has emphasized the importance of promoting independence and optimizing quality of life for adolescents and young adults with ASD, yet the areas of sexual development, romantic relationships, and sexual health have been almost completely neglected, in part due to misconceptions that individuals with ASD are disinterested in such relationships. On the contrary, our work has shown that most individuals with ASD are interested in relationships (including romantic/sexual relationships) yet existing support systems (the educational system, medical professionals, and parents) report being under-prepared to help individuals with ASD navigate this important topic. As a result, most individuals with ASD are less successful than their neurotypical peers at successfully securing meaningful relationships, which we have shown has significant implications for their quality of life as well as their mental and physical health. As a follow-up to our initial work, we recently completed a large survey of young adults with ASD and their parents with the aim of better understanding the experiences and needs of families regarding relationship and sexuality, with the ultimate goal of providing guidance on how to better support individuals with ASD as they navigate this important aspect of their lives.

Presentations

  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics. Master Clinician Seminar presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Annual Convention, Seattle, WA. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 11/24/2023.
  • Kudryk, K., Bootes, K., Braley, E., Wellen, B., Steide, J., Pitts, B., Barber, K., Lindsay, J., Woods, D.W., Mouton-Odum, S., & Himle M.B (2023, November). Therapist training for the Treatment of Tics: An innovative, online, self-guided teaching platform. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Seattle, WA. Poster, Presented, 11/24/2023.
  • Bootes, K., Kudryk, K., Braley, E., Wellen, B., Steide, J., Pitts, B., Barber, K., Lindsay, J., Spitalnick, J., Woods, D.W., Mouton-Odum, S., & Himle, M.B. (2023, November). Factors influence the adoption fo an interactive, online, self-guided training program for tic disorders for treatment-naive therapists. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Seattle, WA. Poster, Presented, 11/24/2023.
  • Tourette Association of American Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Primary Instructor). Orlando, FL. Other, Presented, 11/03/2023.
  • Tourette Association of American Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Primary Instructor). Chicago, IL. Other, Presented, 09/15/2023.
  • Tourette Association of American Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Primary Instructor). Los Angles, CA. Other, Presented, 07/21/2023.
  • Wellen B, Houlihan K, Capriotti M, Greene DJ, Black K, Himle M, Hayes L, Ramanujam K, Woods D, Specht M, Lee H, Jacob S, Conelea C: Developmental sex/gender differences in Tourette syndrome phenomenology. Annual meeting, Society of Biological Psychiatry, San Diego, CA, 01 May 2023. Biol Psychiatry 93(9 Suppl):S264. DOI 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.02.660. Conference Paper, Presented, 05/01/2023.
  • Tourette Association of American Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Primary Instructor). Houston, TX. Other, Presented, 04/29/2023.
  • Tourette Association of American Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Primary Instructor). Rutgers University. Other, Presented, 10/29/2022.
  • Tourette Association of American Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Primary Instructor). Chicago, IL. Other, Presented, 07/23/2022.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics. Workshop presented through the Tourette Association of America-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Partnership (online). Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 12/07/2021.
  • **Webber, H.A., *Wellen, B., *Bootes, K.R., *Braley, E.I., Conelea, C., Woods, D.W., & Himle, M.B. (2021). The accessibility of behavioral treatment for persistent tic disorders in 2010 and 2019. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Virtual Convention, November 2021. **Undergraduate student presenter, *Graduate student presenter. Poster, Presented, 11/16/2021.
  • *Bootes, K.R., Himle, M.B., Stiede, J.T., Woods, D.W., & Mouton-Odum, S. (2021). Predictors of impairment and self-concept in children and adolescents with persistent tic disorder. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Virtual Convention, November 2021. *Graduate student presenter. Poster, Presented, 11/16/2021.
  • **Link, C.J., Hayes, L.P., *Bootes, K.R., *Wellen, B., & Himle, M.B. (2021). An experimental evaluation of a function-based model of tic expression. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Virtual Convention, November 2021. **Undergraduate student, *graduate student. Poster, Presented, 11/16/2021.
  • Malhotra, A., Chantel, C.L., Nash, B.J., *Braley, E.I., Himle, M.B., & Captriotti, M. (2021). Do explanations of tic controllability impact young adults’ attitudes toward peers with Tourette syndrome? An experimental evaluation. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Virtual Convention, November 2021. *Graduate student. Poster, Presented, 11/16/2021.
  • Pitts, B.X., Stiede, J.T., *Wellen, B., Bauer, C.C., Himle, M.B., Mouton-Odum, S., & Woods, D.W. (2021). Psychometric properties of the premonitory urge for tics scale (PUTS) in children with persistent tic disorders. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Virtual Convention, November 2021. *Graduate student co-author. Poster, Presented, 11/16/2021.
  • **Roylance, Z.W., *Braley, E.I., Steide, J.T., **Link, C.J., & Himle, M.B. (2021). Tics and hireability: The implication of perceptions of tics and other hiring factors. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Virtual Convention, November 2021. **Undergraduate student presenter, *Graduate student presenter. Poster, Presented, 11/16/2021.
  • Bennett, S., Capriotti, M., Conelea, C., Hamilton, S., Himle, M.B., & Shineman, D. (2021). Patient centered research planning and prioritization for comprehensive behaviora therapy for tics. Symposium presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Virtual Convention, November 2021. Presentation, Presented, 11/16/2021.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics Behavior Therapy Training Institute. 3-day training institute conducted with interdisciplinary therapists in Bayside, NY. Other, Presented, 10/30/2021.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics. Workshop presented through the Tourette Association of America-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Partnership (online). UMPC Western Behavioral Health, Pittsburgh PA. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 10/27/2021.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics. Workshop presented through the Tourette Association of America-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Partnership (online). AMITA Health Medical Group, Chicago IL. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 08/04/2021.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics. Workshop presented through the Tourette Association of America-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Partnership (online). Seattle Children's Hospital. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 04/23/2021.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics. Workshop presented through the Tourette Association of America-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Partnership (online). University of Maryland Medical School. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 02/25/2021.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics. Workshop presented through the Tourette Association of America-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Partnership (online). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 09/11/2020.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tic Disorders. Invited Workshop through the Tourette Association of American - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Partnership. Presented to the Las Cruces Public School District, Las Cruces, NM. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 12/17/2019.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tic Disorders. Invited Workshop through the Tourette Association of American - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Partnership. Presented to a regional group of psychologists in Lincoln, NE. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 11/27/2019.
  • Bennet, S., Conelea, C., Hamilton, S., Himle, M.B., Hunt, C., Mathews, C., Shineman, D., Capriotti, M. (2019). Engaging stakeholders in Tourette syndrome behavior therapy research planning and prioritization. Presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Atlanta, GA. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/23/2019.
  • Himle, M.B., Woods, D.W., Mouton-Odum, S., Steide, J., Ivey, E., Wellen, B., & Bauer, C. (2019). Development and initial testing of an online program for training therapists in comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT). Presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Atlanta, GA. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/23/2019.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics. Master Clinician Seminar presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 53rd Annual Convention, Atlanta, GA. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 11/23/2019.
  • Flatley, C., Wellen, B., Lewin, A., & Himle, M.B. (2019). Transdiagnostic treatment of complex comorbidity in children with tic disorders. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Atlanta, GA. Poster, Presented, 11/23/2019.
  • Stiede, J., Wellen, B., Bauer, C., Himle, M.B., Mouton-Odum, S., & Woods, D.W. (2019). Examining the relationship between behavioral and emotional functioning and tic severity in children with Persistent Tic Disorders. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Atlanta, GA. Poster, Presented, 11/23/2019.
  • Capriotti, M., Himle, M.B., Conelea, C.C., Espil, F., Mathews, C., Wellen, B.S., & Young, B. (2019). Implementing TeleCBIT in a comprehensive medical tic treatment program: Uptake, Acceptability, Feasibility, and Effectivness. Presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Atlanta, GA. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/22/2019.
  • Holmes, L.G., Himle, M.B., Nilssen, A.R., & Strassberg, D. (2019). Relationships and sexual functioning for autistic adults across the lifespan. Oral presentation at the annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. Denver, CO. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/01/2019.
  • Tourette Association of American Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Primary Instructor). Glen Oaks, NY. Other, Presented, 09/06/2019.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tic Disorders. Invited Workshop through the Tourette Association of American - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Partnership. Presented at the Baxter Regional Medical Center, Mountain Home, AR. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 05/22/2019.
  • Kirby, A. V., Cottle, K. J., Himle, M. B., Diener, M., & Wright, C. (2019). Pilot test of an intervention for parents of youth with ASD focused on life skills and preparing for adulthood. Poster presentation at the Annual Meeting of the International Society for Autism Research. Montreal, Canada. Poster, Presented, 05/01/2019.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tic Disorders. Invited Workshop through the Tourette Association of American - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Partnership. Presented at the NeuroBehavioral Institute, Weston, FL. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/29/2019.
  • Tourette & Tic Disorders Training Workshop. Haukeland University Hospital / University of Bergen. Bergen, Norway. Other, Presented, 12/15/2018.
  • Himle, M.B., Wellen, B.A., Woods, D.W., Bauer, C.C., & Mouton-Odum, S. (November 2018). Randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of TicHelper.com. Paper presentation at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 52nd Annual Convention, Washington, DC. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 11/23/2018.
  • Himle, M.B., & Woods, D.W. (April 2018). Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics. Workshop presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 52nd Annual Convention, Washington, DC. Other, Presented, 11/23/2018.
  • Wellen, B., Hayes, P., Ramanujam, K., Bauer, C., Mouton-Odum, S., Woods, D., & Himle, M.B. (November 2018). The relationship between premonitory sensations to tics and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Poster presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 52nd Annual Convention, Washington, DC. Poster, Presented, 11/23/2018.
  • Stiede, J.T., Alexander, J.R., *Wellen, B., Bauer, C.C., Himle, M. B., Mouton-Odum, S., Woods, D.W. (November 2018). Differentiating tic-related from non-tic-related impairment in children with persistent tic disorders. Poster presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 52nd Annual Convention, Washington, DC. Poster, Presented, 11/23/2018.
  • Ivey, E., Wellen, B., Hayes, L., Ramanujam, K., Bauer, C., Mouton-Odum, S., Woods, D., & Himle, M.B. (November, 2018). The effect of comorbidity on treatment response in online treatment for tics. Poster presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 52nd Annual Convention, Washington, DC. Poster, Presented, 11/23/2018.
  • Sheffield, A. Wellen, B., Hayes, L., Ramanujam, K., Bauer, C., Mouton-Odum, S., Woods, D., & Himle, M.B. (November, 2018). The Relationship between premonitory urges to tic and comorbid symptoms. Poster presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 52nd Annual Convention, Washington, DC. Poster, Presented, 11/23/2018.
  • Flatley, C.A., Wellen, B., Hayes, L., Ramanujam, K., Bauer, C., Mouton-Odum, S., Woods, D., & Himle, M.B. (November, 2018). The predictive validity of a parent-reported measure of comorbid problems in children with PTD. Poster presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 52nd Annual Convention, Washington, DC. Poster, Presented, 11/23/2018.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (TAA-CDC partnership workshop). Northwest ADHD Treatment Center, Portland, OR. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 10/06/2018.
  • Kirby, A.V., Cottle, K.J., Himle, M.B., Diener, M., Wright, C., & Hoffman, J. (2018). Maximizing adolescent post-secondary success: Development and refinement of a novel intervention for parents of youth with ASD. Poster presented at the Annual meeting of the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR). Rotterdam, Netherlands. Poster, Presented, 05/01/2018.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (TAA-CDC partnership workshop). Mohave College, Lake Havasu, AZ. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 04/28/2018.
  • Behavioral Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders. Invited workshop presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 04/19/2018.
  • Substance Use & Abuse in Tourette & Tic Disorders. Invited talk presented at the Tourette Association of America National Education & Advocacy Conference. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/03/2018.
  • Navigating Society & The Workplace with Tourette. Invited talk presented at the Tourette Association of America National Education & Advocacy Conference. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/03/2018.
  • Tourette in Adolescence & Young Adulthood. Invited talk presented at the Tourette Association of America National Education & Advocacy Conference. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/02/2018.
  • Tourette Association of America Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Presenter/Faculty). University of Missouri, Columbia, MO. Other, Presented, 12/2017.
  • Young, B.N., *Wellen, B., Conelea, C.A., Himle, M.B., Matthews, C.A., & Capriotti, M.R. (2017). Uptake of in-home TeleCBIT among patients in a medical tic clinic. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), San Diego, CA. Poster, Presented, 11/01/2017.
  • Tourette Association of America Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Presenter/Faculty). Rogers Memorial Hospital, Oconomowoc, WI. Other, Presented, 09/2017.
  • Holmes, L. G., Himle, M. B., & Strassberg, D. S. (2017). Parent-child sexuality communication and sexual knowledge for adults with autism spectrum disorder: Comparison to neurotypical controls. Talk at the annual convention of the International Academy of Sex Research (IASR), Charleston, SC. Conference Paper, Presented, 07/2017.
  • Holmes, L.G., Zampella, C.J., Gillespie, A.A., & Himle, M.B. (2017). Loneliness and quality of life for the broader autism phenotype. Poster presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR), San Francisco, CA. Poster, Presented, 05/2017.
  • Holmes, L.G., Kirby, A.V., Himle, M.B., & Strassberg, D.S. (2017). Parent preparatory activities as adolescents with ASD transition to adulthood. Poster presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR), San Francisco, CA. Poster, Presented, 05/2017.
  • Tourette Association of America Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Presenter/Faculty). Kennedy Krueger Institute / Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Other, Presented, 04/2017.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (TAA-CDC partnership workshop). Behavioral Health Resources, Olympia Washington. Other, Presented, 03/01/2017.
  • Tourette & Tic Disorders Training Workshop. Haukeland University Hospital / University of Bergen. Bergen, Norway. Other, Presented, 12/15/2016.
  • Tourette Association of America's Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Presenter/Faculty). Children's National Health System, Washington, DC. Other, Presented, 11/12/2016.
  • Himle, M.B., Woods, D.W., Mouton-Odum, S., Hayes, L., Ramanujam, K., Alexander, J., & Bauer, C. (2016, October). Disseminating comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics: Development and testing of TicHelper.com. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. New York, NY. Conference Paper, Presented, 10/29/2016.
  • Holmes, L.G., Nilssen, A.R., Himle, M.B., & Strassberg, D.S. (2016). Parent-child sexuality communication for adolescent girls with ASD. Poster presented at the annual convention of the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR), Baltimore, MD. Poster, Presented, 10/01/2016.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tic Disorders. Workshop presented at the Department of Psychology, Mississippi State University. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 04/22/2016.
  • Tourette Association of America's Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Presenter/Faculty). Advocate Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL. Other, Presented, 03/11/2016.
  • Understanding and treating Tourette and tic disorders. Grand Rounds Presentation at Dartmouth Medical School. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/08/2016.
  • Himle, M.B. (2015, November). Treating body-focused repetitive behavior disorders (discussant). Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Chicago, IL. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 11/25/2015.
  • Ramanujam, K., Euler, M., Himle, M.B. (2015, November). Spectral Analysis of Premonitory Urge Ratings During Habit Reversal Therapy in Children and Adolescents with Chronic Tic Disorders. Poster accepted for presentation at the 49th Annual Convention of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Chicago, IL. Poster, Presented, 11/25/2015.
  • Williams, L.K., Ramanujam, K., Duke, N.S., Himle, M.B. (2015, November). Direct Experimental Test of the Negative Reinforcement Hypothesis in Children and Adolescents with a Chronic Tic Disorder. Poster accepted for presentation at the 49th Annual Convention of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Chicago, IL. Poster, Presented, 11/25/2015.
  • Himle, M.B. (2015, July). Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (TSA-CDC partnership presentation). Workshop presented at Kaiser Permanente, Fremont, CA. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 07/01/2015.
  • Ramanujam, K. & Himle, M.B. (2015, June). Premonitory urge fluctuation during reinforced tic suppression and habit reversal therapy in children with chronic tic disorders. Poster presented at the World Congress on Tourette Syndrome. London, UK. Poster, Presented, 06/11/2015.
  • Himle, M.B., Mouton-Odum, S., Reamer, R., & Woods, D.W. (2015). Development and initial feasibility testing of TicHelper: A self-administered interactive program for teaching comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics. Invited presentation at the 1st World Congress on Tourette Syndrome and Tic Disorders. London, UK. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 06/10/2015.
  • Ricketts, E. J., Goetz, A. R., Capriotti, M. R., Bauer, C. C., Brei, N. G., Himle, M. B., Espil, F. M., Snorrason, I., Ran, D., & Woods, D. W. (2015, June). A Randomized Pilot Waitlist-controlled Trial of Voice over Internet Protocol-delivered Behavior Therapy for Youth with Chronic Tic Disorders. Poster presented at the Tourette Syndrome Association 1st World Congress on Tourette Syndrome & Tic Disorders. London, UK. Poster, Presented, 06/10/2015.
  • Himle, M.B. (2015, May). Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (TSA-CDC partnership presentation). Workshop presented at St. Luke's Meridian Medical Center, Boise, ID. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 05/01/2015.
  • Holmes, L. G., Himle, M. B., & Strassberg, D. S. (2015). Parents and adults with autism spectrum disorder: A dyadic study of parent-child sexuality communication. Poster presented at the annual convention of the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR), Salt Lake City, UT. Poster, Presented, 05/01/2015.
  • Himle, M.B. (2015, April). Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (TSA-CDC partnership presentation). Workshop presented at Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, SD. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 04/01/2015.
  • Himle, M.B. (2015, March). Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (TSA-CDC partnership presentation). Workshop presented at Associates in Pediatric Therapy, Louisville, KY. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/01/2015.
  • Himle, M.B. (March 2015). What’s old is new: The power of habit (reversal training). Invited presentation at the annual Generations conference. Salt Lake City, UT. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/01/2015.
  • Himle, M.B. (2015, January). Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (TSA-CDC partnership presentation). Workshop presented at Roanoke County School District, Roanoke, VA. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 01/31/2015.
  • Ramanujam, K., & Himle, M.B. (2014, November). Effects of habit reversal therapy on premonitory urge ratings in children with tic disorders. Paper presented at the annual convention of the Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (ABCT), Philadelphia, PA. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/22/2014.
  • Brabson, L., Himle M.B., Capriotti, M., Ramanujam, K., Brown, J., Specht, M.W. (2014, November). Real relationship between premonitory urge ratings and tic frequency. Paper presented at the annual convention of the Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (ABCT), Philadelphia, PA. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/22/2014.
  • Holmes, L. G., & Himle, M. B. (2014, November). Primary sources of sexual knowledge for young adults with ASD. Poster presented at the annual convention of the Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (ABCT), Philadelphia, PA. Poster, Presented, 11/22/2014.
  • Holmes, L. G., & Himle, M. B. (2014, November). Parent-Child Sexuality Communication and ASD: Why Not? Poster presented at the annual convention of the Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (ABCT), Philadelphia, PA. Poster, Presented, 11/22/2014.
  • Hayes, L., Himle, M.B., Suchy, Y., Chang, S., Smith, H.A., Johnson, O.E., Zelaya, J., Thorgusen, S., Piacentini, J. (2014, November). Verbal learning during tic suppression in children with chronic tic disorders. Poster presented at the annual convention of the Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (ABCT), Philadelphia, PA. Poster, Presented, 11/22/2014.
  • Himle, M.B. (October 2014). What’s old is new: The power of habit (reversal training). Invited presentation at the annual Critical Issues Facing Children & Adolescents conference. Salt Lake City, UT. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 10/01/2014.
  • Himle, M.B. (2014, September). Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (TSA-CDC partnership presentation). Workshop presented at Catalpa Health, Appleton, WI. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 09/13/2014.
  • Himle, M.B. (2014, June). Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (TSA-CDC partnership). Workshop presented at Kaiser Permanete, Sacramento, CA. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 06/26/2014.
  • Himle, M.B. (2014, May). Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (TSA-CDC partnership). Grand Rounds presented at East Tennessee Children's Hospital, Knoxville, TN. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 05/23/2014.
  • Himle, M.B. (2014, April). Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (TSA-CDC partnership). Grand Rounds presented at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 04/28/2014.
  • Himle, M.B. (2014, April). Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (TSA-CDC partnership). Workshop presented at Denver Children's Hospital, Denver, CO. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 04/01/2014.
  • Himle, M.B. (2014, February). Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (TSA-CDC partnership). Workshop presented to the Tourette Syndrome Association of Greater Missouri, St. Louis, MO. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 02/15/2014.
  • Himle, M.B. (2014, February). Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (TSA-CDC partnership). Workshop presented to the Tourette Syndrome Association of Greater Washington, Falls Church, VA. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 02/01/2014.
  • Himle, M.B., Woods, D.W., Mouton-Odum, S., Reamer, R., *Hayes, L.P., **Wright, K.A. (2013, November). TicHelper: Initial development and testing of an interactive self-help program for managing tics in children. Paper accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Nashville, TN. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/2013.
  • *Holmes, L., & Himle, M. B. (2013). Factors that predict parental provision of sex education for youth with high and low functioning autism. Poster accepted for presentation at the annual convention of the Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, Nashville, TN. Poster, Presented, 11/2013.
  • *Hayes, L.P., & Himle, M.B. (2013, November). Comprehensive behavioral intervention for an idiopathic adult-onset tic: A Case Study. Poster accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Nashville, TN. Poster, Presented, 11/2013.
  • *Ramanujam, K., **Smith, H., **Castro Rosa, N., Himle, M.B., Woods, D.W., Scahill, L.D., Sukhodolsky, D.G., Wilhelm, S., Deckersbach, T., Peterson, A.L., Specht, M.W., Walkup, J.T., Chang, S., Piacentini, J.C. (2013, November). Descriptive Analysis of Symptom Change in Children Receiving Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics. Poster accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Nashville, TN. Poster, Presented, 11/2013.
  • *Ramanujam, K., Himle, M.B., *Hayes, L.P., Woods, D.W., Scahill, L.D., Sukhodolsky, D.G., Wilhelm, S., Deckersbach, T., Peterson, A.L., Walkup, J.T., Chang, S., Piacentini, J.C. (2013, November). Evaluating the contributions of tic severity, internalizing symptoms, inattention, and externalizing symptoms in predicting caregiver strain in children with chronic tic disorders. Poster accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Nashville, TN. Poster, Presented, 11/2013.
  • Ricketts, E.J., Bauer, C.C., Ran, D., Himle, M.B., & Woods, D.W. (2013, November). Pilot open case series of voice over internet protocol delivered comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Nashville, TN. Poster, Presented, 11/2013.
  • Newcomb, T.M., Himle, M.B., Viazzo-Trussell, D., Smart, A.L., Hyland, K., Thulin, Pl., & Swoboda, K.J. (2013, September). Impact of sapropterin dihydrochloride on mood and motor function in dopa-responsive dystonia. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Congress of Inborn Errors of Metabolism, Barcelona, Spain. Conference Paper, Presented, 09/2013.
  • Tourette Syndrome Association Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Faculty). Muhlenberg County School District, Powderly, KY. Other, Presented, 09/2013.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics: New Advancements in Treatment and Dissemination. University of Arkansas Medical School (UMAS). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 06/2013.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics: New Advancements in Treatment and Dissemination. SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 06/2013.
  • *Holmes, L., Himle, M. B., Strassberg, D. S., & Farley, M. A. (2013, May). Parental expectations affect provision of sex education for children with autism spectrum disorders. Poster presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Society (APS), Washington, D.C. Poster, Presented, 05/2013.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics: New Advancements in Treatment and Dissemination. University of Kentucky Department of Psychiatry. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 04/2013.
  • Tourette Syndrome Association Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Faculty). British Columbia Children's Hospital/University of BC. Other, Presented, 04/2013.
  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics. Texas Tech University Department of Psychology. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/2013.
  • Tourette Syndrome Association Behavior Therapy Training Institute (Faculty). New Orleans, LA. Other, Presented, 03/2013.
  • Himle, M.B., Hayes, L.P., Suchy, S., Thorgusen, S., Herbert, S., Zelaya, J., Piacentini, J., & Chang, S. (2012). The effects of tic suppression on current and subsequent cognitive functioning: Cognitive mechanisms of tic control. Paper accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. National Harbor, MD. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/2012.
  • Behavior Analysis in Clinical Psychology: Tourette Syndrome as an exemplar. Invited keynote address, New Jersey Association for Behavior Analysis, Newark, NJ. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/2012.
  • Himle, M.B., Graham, L., Capriotti, M.R., Wilhelm, S. Deckersback, T., Specht, M., Walkup, J., Scahill, L., Sukholdolsky, D., Peterson, A., Villerreal, R., Chang, S., Flacks, L., Piacentini, J. (2011, November). Function-Based Assessment in Tourette Syndrome: Results from the Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics Trial. Poster accepted to the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Toronto, ON, CA. Poster, Presented, 11/2011.
  • Graham, L., Freitag, M.J., Fitts, W., Ghaffarian, R., Himle, M.B., Franklin, S., Ely, L.J., Walther, M., & Woods, D.W. (2011, November). Using Videoconference to Disseminate Behavior Therapy for Tics: Parent and Clinician Outcomes from a Randomized Pilot Trial. Poster accepted to the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Toronto, ON, CA. Poster, Presented, 11/2011.
  • Freitag, M.J., Himle, M.B., & Alexander, J. (2011, November). Parent-Adolescent Alliances as a Predictor of Retention in Functional Family Therapy. Poster accepted to the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Toronto, ON, CA. Poster, Presented, 11/2011.
  • Himle, M.B. (August, 2011). Evidence-Based Treatment of Trichotillomania in Chidlren and Adolescents. Invited presentation (Sponsored by Div 53), National Conference of the American Psychological Association. Washington, DC. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 08/2011.
  • Himle, M.B. (2011, April). Tourette syndrome as a model for exploring response inhibition in children: The role of executive functioning in the suppression of tics. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Research on Child Development. Montreal, QC, CA. Conference Paper, Presented, 04/2011.
  • Deling, L., Miller, J., Himle, M.B., Burgard, C., LeFever, C., Yeager, C. (2010, November). Evaluation of a vide-based training program on tutors’ implementation of early behavioral intervention for autism spectrum disorders. Presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. San Francisco, CA. Poster, Presented, 11/2010.
  • Fitts, W.A., Himle, M.B., Freitag, M.J., Franklin, S., Ely, L.J., Walther, M., Woods, D.W. (2010, November). Using technology to treat tics: A randomized pilot trial comparing telehealth versus face-to-face delivery of CBIT for Tourette syndrome. Presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. San Francisco, CA. Poster, Presented, 11/2010.
  • Olufs, E., Himle, M.B., Bradley, A., Petros, T., Bjella, A., Brossart, A., Burgard, C., LeFever, C. (2010, November). The Effect of Video-Based Education Versus Self- Disclosure Education on the Social Acceptability of Adults With Tourette's Syndrome. Presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. San Francisco, CA. Poster, Presented, 11/2010.
  • Himle, M.B. (October, 2010). Behavioral management of Tourette syndrome: Recent advances in conceptualization, treatment, & dissemination. Invited presentation. Utah State University. Logan, UT. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 10/2010.
  • Sukhodolsky, D.G., Phan, D., Kim, E., Keeton, C., Himle, M.B., Peterson, A.L., Walkup, J., Dzuria, J.D. (2010, June). Moderators of response to comprehensive intervention for tics across combined child and adult studies. Paper presented at the World Congress of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Boston, MA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 06/2010.
  • Himle, M.B., Olufs, E., Himle, J.A., & Woods, D.W. (2010, June). Behavior Therapy for Tics Via Videoconference Delivery: An Initial Pilot Test in Children. Paper presented at World Congress of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Boston, MA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 06/2010.
  • Pedersen, H.A., Ferraro, F.R., Himle , M.B., Schultz, C., Poolman, M. (2010, June). Neuropsychological Factors Related to College Hockey Concussions. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology. Chicago, IL. Poster, Presented, 06/2010.
  • Himle, M.B., & Woods, D.W. (April, 2010). Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT). Invited Workshop. Sponsored by the Tourette Syndrome Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Delivered at the Tourette Syndrome Association National Conference, Alexandria, VA. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 04/2010.
  • Budman, C., & Himle, M.B. (April, 2010). Managing impulse control and anger issues in Tourette Sydnrome. Invited presentation, National Conference of the Tourette Syndrome Association. Alexandria, VA. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 04/2010.
  • Woods, D.W., Conelea, C., Walther, M., & Himle, M.B. (2009, November). Examining the Role of Operant Consequences on Tic Expression. In Recent Advances Across the OC-Spectrum: Considering Phenomenological Models and Processes of Change (K.R. Timpano, Chair). Paper presented at the annual convention of the Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. New York, NY. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 2009.
  • Himle, M.B., Woods, D.W., Budman, C. (November, 2009). Comprehensive behavioral management of tic disorders in children. Invited Workshop. Sponsored by the Tourette Syndrome Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hofstra University School of Medicine, Long Island, NY. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 2009.
  • Himle, M.B. (June, 2009). Technology, telemedicine, & TS therapy. Invited presentation, 5th International Scientific Symposium on Tourette Syndrome, New York, NY. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 2009.
  • Deling, L.A., Olufs, E.L., Kressin, N., Frazier, K., Smerer, R., Bjella, A., & Himle, M.B., (2009, August). Quality and accessibility of autism treatment information on the internet. Poster presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association. Toronto, CA. Poster, Presented, 2009.
  • Feldstein-Ewing, S.W., Smith, S., Bryan, A., Chandler, L.D., Byers, H.A., LaChance, K.E., Himle, M.B., & Hutchison, K.E. (2009, November). Are some better suited for certain interventions? Investigating risk and response to alcohol interventions by genetic group. Poster presented at the annual convention of the Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. New York, NY. Poster, Presented, 2009.

Languages

  • English, fluent.