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Optimizing parenting and child outcomes following parent-child interaction therapy - toddler: a randomized controlled
Jane Kohlhoff1,2,3, Nancy Wallace4, Sara Cibralic5,6
1Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia. jane.kohlhoff@unsw.edu.au.
Insights
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy-Toddler (PCIT-T) significantly improves toddler behavior and parenting skills. This early intervention enhances parental sensitivity and reduces disruptive behaviors in young children.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Parent-Child Interaction Therapy-Toddler (PCIT-T) is an attachment-informed intervention for toddlers (12-24 months) with challenging behaviors.
- Early intervention is crucial for addressing behavioral issues in toddlerhood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of PCIT-T compared to Circle of Security- Parenting™ (COS-P) and a wait-list control.
- To assess changes in parenting sensitivity, parental reflectiveness, and child behavior outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 90 toddlers (14-24 months) with disruptive behaviors.
- Participants were allocated to PCIT-T, COS-P, or wait-list control.
- Outcomes were measured at baseline, post-intervention, and 4-month follow-up.
Main Results:
- The PCIT-T group showed the greatest improvements in parenting sensitivity and positive verbalizations, and reductions in negative child-directed communication.
- PCIT-T led to significant within-group improvements in parental reflectiveness, empathy, child social competence, and reduced internalizing and general behavior issues.
- Both PCIT-T and COS-P groups demonstrated reductions in parental stress and child externalizing behaviors.
Conclusions:
- PCIT-T is a potentially effective early intervention for toddlers with behavioral issues.
- The intervention facilitates significant positive changes in parent-child interactions and child behavior.
- Early intervention during toddlerhood can yield substantial developmental benefits.
Background:
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy-Toddler (PCIT-T) is an attachment-informed intervention model designed to meet the specific developmental needs of toddlers aged 12-24 months presenting with challenging behaviors.
Methods:
This study used a randomized controlled design to evaluate outcomes of PCIT-T for children aged 14-24 months with disruptive behaviors. Ninety toddlers with parent-reported disruptive behavior were randomly allocated to PCIT-T (intervention), an active control condition (Circle of Security- Parenting™; COS-P), or a non-treatment control condition (wait-list; WL). Outcomes were assessed at baseline (Time 1), post treatment/post waitlist (Time 2) and 4-month follow-up (Time 3).
Results:
At follow-up, the PCIT-T group displayed the highest levels of parenting sensitivity and positive parental verbalizations, and the lowest levels of negative child-directed verbalizations and non-attuned mind-minded statements. Of the three groups, the PCIT-T group showed the greatest degree of change on these variables, followed by the COS-P group and then the non-treated controls. The PCIT-T group were also the only group to show significant within-group improvements in sensitivity, self-reported parental reflectiveness, empathy and emotional understanding, parent-reported child social competence, child internalizing problems, and general behavior issues. Significant reductions in parental stress, child externalizing behaviors and parenting behaviors were seen for both the PCIT-T and COS-P groups.
Conclusions:
Delivered in the early intervention period of toddlerhood, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy-Toddler has the potential to bring about significant changes for children presenting with early onset behavioral issues.
Trial Registration:
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), 12,618,001,554,257. Registered 24 September 2018 - retrospectively registered, https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12618001554257 .
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