Parent-child interaction therapy: Adding to the evidence

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of Palin Parent-Child Interaction (Palin PCI) therapy with young children who stutter. Ten children who stutter (age 3;07–4;11) were randomly allocated to a treatment (n = 6) or to a no treatment condition (n = 4). A single subject series design was used to evaluate progress over baseline (A1), therapy (B1 + B2) and follow up (A2) phases. Multiple measures of stuttering frequency were obtained from home-based video recordings. Children in the no treatment condition completed phases A1 and A2 only. Stuttering frequency was analysed using cusum. Language was assessed and a parent questionnaire completed at the start and end of the study. All six children who received therapy and one child in the no treatment condition significantly reduced stuttering frequency over the period of the study. This was associated with therapy in four cases. Children who received therapy and began with above average expressive language skills had lower scores relative to age at the end of the study. Families who participated in therapy reported reduced impact and increased knowledge and confidence in managing stuttering at the end of the study. Palin PCI can be effective in reducing stuttering frequency in individual young children who stutter.