Parent-Child Interaction Therapy in a Community Setting: Examining Outcomes, Attrition, and Treatment Setting

The purpose of this study was to evaluate Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) deployed in a community setting comparing in-home with the standard office-based intervention. Child behavior, parent stress, parent functioning, and attrition were examined.

Using a quasi-experimental design, standardized measures at three time points were collected from parent-child dyads (n=120) with thirty-seven families completing treatment.

Growth modeling analyses indicate significant improvements in child and parent outcomes in both treatment settings with more rapid improvements in parent outcomes within office-based treatment. Attrition was predicted by income and parent functioning.

PCIT delivered in the community can produce measureable improvements. In-home PCIT is a feasible option but future research should consider benefits and costs. Treatment completion remains a challenge.