An Experimental Study to Assess the Professional and Social Consequences of Mild-to-Moderate Tardive Dyskinesia

BACKGROUND: Tardive dyskinesia (TD), a movement disorder, may arise in patients taking antipsychotics. Social and professional stigma associated with mild-to-moderate TD movements has not been thoroughly examined. Here we evaluate the professional and social impact of mild-to-moderate orofacial TD symptoms.

DESIGN/METHODS: This study is an experimental, randomized survey of a general population sample. Three component surveys corresponding to employment, dating, and friendship domains were adopted from a prior study. For each domain, participants were randomized 1:1 into either a test group (shown videos of actors depicting mild-to-moderate TD movements) or a control group (shown videos of the same actors but without TD movements) and asked about their impressions of the video subjects.

RESULTS: 800 participants completed each survey. In all domains, participants responded less favorably to actors portraying mild-to-moderate TD movements than to those without TD movements. Fewer participants in the test group, versus the control group, thought the actor “would be suitable for client-facing jobs” (41% fewer in the test group [P < 0.001]), were “interested in meeting him/her for a coffee/drink” (26% fewer in the test group [P < 0.001]), and felt like “he/she seemed to be an interesting person” (13% fewer in the test group [P < 0.001]) in the employment, dating, and friendship domains, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: This study addresses the professional and social stigma faced by those with mild-to-moderate TD. Consistent with previous results for moderate-to-severe TD, actors simulating mild-to-moderate orofacial TD movements were perceived more negatively than those without TD movements in employment, dating, and friendship domains.

This poster was presented at the 32nd annual Psych Congress, held Oct. 3-6, 2019, in San Diego, California.