Parent-child Interaction Training Research Articles

Telehealth Parenting Program and Salivary Epigenetic Biomarkers in Preschool Children With Developmental Delay

Children with developmental delays are at a heightened risk of experiencing mental health challenges, and this risk is exacerbated among racially minoritized children who face disproportionate adversity. Understanding the impact of parenting interventions on biological markers associated with these risks is crucial for mitigating long-term health disparities. To examine the effect of 20 weeks of an internet-based parent-child interaction training (iPCIT) program on biomarkers associated with aging and chronic inflammation among preschoolers with developmental delay at 12-month follow-up. An observational secondary analysis of data from a randomized clinical trial conducted from March 17, 2016, to December 15, 2020, to assess changes in salivary DNA methylation (DNAm)-derived biomarkers following iPCIT intervention. Participants were recruited from 3 Part C early intervention sites in a large southeastern US city. Eligible participants included children recruited within 3 months of their third birthday who had a Child Behavior Checklist Externalizing Problems T score greater than 60 and provided saliva in at least 1 study wave. Data analysis was conducted May 2023 to April 2024. Participants received either iPCIT (a telehealth therapeutic intervention focused on enhancing the parent-child relationship and addressing behavioral challenges in young children) or referrals as usual. DNAm at the 12-month follow-up was assessed using the Infinium HumanMethylationEPIC Bead Chip Assay to derive biomarkers DunedinPACE, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Analyses were intent-to-treat and used path analysis. A total of 71 children (mean [SD] age, 36.27 [0.61] months 51 male [71.8%] and 20 female [28.2%]) were analyzed, of whom 34 received iPCIT and 37 received referrals as usual. The iPCIT group had a slower pace of aging (β = 0.26; 95% CI, 0.06 to 0.50; P = .03) and less DNAm-derived CRP (β = 0.27; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.49; P = .01) relative to the control condition at the 12-month follow-up. These associations remained significant after accounting for baseline DNAm score, child demographics, and symptom severity, and were independent of predicted buccal epithelial cell proportion for both DunedinPACE and CRP. There was no association with DNAm-derived IL-6 (β = 0.14; 95% CI, -0.08 to 0.36; P = .21). In this study of a parenting intervention, iPCIT, the association of intervention with decreased molecular markers of inflammation and biological aging suggests their potential to modify aspects of the biological embedding of stress. Understanding the systemic biological impact of such interventions offers insights into addressing health disparities and promoting resilience among vulnerable populations. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03260816.

Examining the Effectiveness of the Combined Eyberg Parent-Child Interaction Training and Personality-Centered Parenting on Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Children Aged 7 to 10 Years

Examining the Effectiveness of the Combined Eyberg Parent-Child Interaction Training and Personality-Centered Parenting on Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Children Aged 7 to 10 Years

Comparing the effectiveness of parent-child interaction training, attachment-based therapy and self-regulation skill training on children's emotion control

Comparing the effectiveness of parent-child interaction training, attachment-based therapy and self-regulation skill training on children's emotion control

Comparing the effectiveness of parent-child interaction training, attachment-based therapy and Self-regulation skill training on children's emotion control

Background and Aim: The purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of parent-child interaction training, attachment-based therapy, and Self-regulation skill training on emotional control of preschool children. Methods: This research was carried out in the form of a semi-experimental design on 48 preschool students of Islam Shahr city with available sampling method and these people were randomly replaced in three experimental groups (n=36) and a control group (n=12). Then, the experimental groups underwent parent-child interaction training, attachment-based therapy, and Self-regulation skill training, and the control group did not receive any training. The data collection tool was the child's emotion management questionnaire (Ziman et al., 2001), which was administered before and after the training. Descriptive tables and statistical methods of one-way analysis of variance with differential scores, multivariate covariance analysis and Bonferroni adjustment test were used to describe and analyze the collected data. Results: The results show that, in the comparison between the effectiveness of each of the experimental groups on reducing the differential score of emotional control of preschool children, the results of the effect size showed, respectively, the parent-child interaction training groups (ƞ2=0.681), the treatment based on Attachment (0.630=2ƞ) and Self-regulation skill (ƞ2=0.408) had the highest impact on reducing differential scores of emotional control of preschool children. Conclusion: Therefore, paying attention to the mentioned variables helps senior managers and researchers in choosing managers and designing more suitable for cultivating wisdom.

The effectiveness of strength-based counseling on the tendency toward marital infidelity and self-compassion of conflicted couples

Objective: It is natural for differences and conflicts to arise between husband and wife. Due to the nature of spouses' activities, it sometimes happens that differences of opinion occur or needs are not met. As a result, spouses feel angry, disappointed, and unhappy towards each other. The current research aimed to determine the effectiveness of strength-based counseling on conflicted couples' tendency toward marital infidelity and self-compassion. Methods and Materials: It was quasi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with an experimental group, a control group, and a three-month follow-up period. The statistical population of the research included all couples referring to a private counseling center in District 10 of Tehran. For sampling, 30 couples were selected and randomly assigned to two experimental groups (15 couples) and a control group (15 couples) using the available sampling method. This research used the strength-based counseling package compiled by Parsakia and Darbani (2022). Also, in order to collect data, Neff's self-compassion scale (2003) and Bashirpour et al.'s marital infidelity questionnaire (2018) were used. Findings: The results of the data analysis showed that strength-based counseling significantly increased self-compassion scores (F = 13.08) and decreased the scores of the tendency toward marital infidelity of the experimental group (F = 9.52). Also, Bonferroni's post hoc test results indicated good stability of these effects. Conclusion: Therefore, the strength-based approach can increase the self-compassion of conflicted couples and decrease their tendency toward committing marital infidelity. Conclusion: It can be concluded that parent-child interaction training was effective on behavioral problems and aggression of children with ADHD symptoms, and this effect was stable

The effectiveness of parent-child interaction training on behavioral problems and aggression of children with ADHD symptoms

Objective: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD is one of the most common problems of children and adolescents and the reason for referral to psychiatrists and psychologists. Therefore, this research aimed to determine the effectiveness of parent-child interaction training on behavioral problems and aggression of children with ADHD symptoms. Methods and Materials: In terms of the purpose, the current research design was of an applied type, and in terms of the method of conducting it, it was a quasi-experimental research with a pre-test, post-test, and two-month follow-up plan with the experimental and control groups. The statistical population of this study consisted of 6-10-year-old children with ADHD referred to a private counseling center in the 10th district of Tehran in 1401. An available sampling method was used for sampling, and 30 people were selected, and 15 people were equally assigned to the experimental group and 15 people to the control group. In this research, the tools used included Achenbach's Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Buss & Perry's (1992) Aggression Questionnaire. Parent-child interaction therapy was performed according to McNeil & Hembree-Kigin's (2010) protocol on the experimental group, but the control group did not receive any intervention. Statistical data was analyzed with spss software and using analysis of variance with repeated measurements, and Bonferroni's post hoc test was used to check the stability of the effects of the interventions. Findings: F values were calculated for behavioral problems (F = 7.63) and aggression (F = 10.74). It can be concluded that the effect of the group membership factor, or in other words, the treatment of parent-child interaction, has led to a significant decrease in dependent variables (p<0.01). Bonferroni's post hoc test results indicate that the effect of parent-child interaction therapy on behavioral problems and aggression of children with ADHD was stable. Conclusion: It can be concluded that parent-child interaction training was effective on behavioral problems and aggression of children with ADHD symptoms, and this effect was stable.

Parent Child Interaction Training (PCIT) in Zurich, Switzerland - Experiences and Results of the first two years

IntroductionParent Child Interaction Training PCIT (Zisser & Eyberg, 2010; Briegel, 2016) is an evidence-based treatment of oppositional defiant disorder in preschool children. However, it is implemented in few institutions in Europe. The advantage of PCIT is the involvement of both child and parents with direct coaching of the parents.ObjectivesWe will give an overview of 20 treatment courses we have conducted since the introduction of PCIT at the Zurich University Hospital for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. First, a descriptive analysis of our sample will be conducted. The influence of sample characteristics and intensity of training on the reduction of behavioral problems will be analyzed.MethodsParents attend the training for at least 6 months with regular sessions. The transfer into everyday life is achieved by daily homework. We use the Eyberg Child Problem Behavior Inventory as pre-post measurements. The ECBI is filled out by the parents before each session and also enables a progress analysis.ResultsThree times more boys participated than girls. Problem behavior was significantly reduced after the play training phase. There was also a significant overall pre-post effect. The effect seemed to be independent of the parental problem score before training and of the number of play-training sessions.ConclusionsParents and children clearly benefit from the play training. For the following cooperation training, the problem load experienced by the parents seems to be more relevant than the intensity of the child’s problem behavior as assessed by them. This is to be examined in the future.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Eyes Open, Ears On: Supporting Hearing Technology Use in Children with Hearing Loss

Eyes Open, Ears On: Supporting Hearing Technology Use in Children with Hearing Loss

Implementation and first evaluation of PCIT parent-child-interaction-training in zurich

IntroductionParent training is an evidence based and highly effective intervention for conduct disorders in children. Traditionally, only the parents participate in behavioral trainings, implementing the new skills in their homes on their own between the appointments. In some cases, this turns out as not intense enough.ObjectivesTherefore, we recently implemented the German version of the PCIT Parent Child Interaction Training in our clinic in Zurich, Switzerland.Methods PCIT is an evidence-based and highly effective intervention for children aged 2-7 years with conduct disorders (Zisser & Eyberg, 2010; Briegel, 2016). Parents visit the clinic weekly with their child and are directly supported in their interaction by the therapists. A special treatment room was set up for this intervention.ResultsWe will present our first experiences with this approach in the highly international and urban population of Zurich.Conclusions Parents appreciate to work with their child while being directly coached by the therapists. Almost all parents achieved considerable progress in their skills and the conduct problems reduced over time.

The Effectiveness of Parent-Child Interactive Therapy on Parenting Stress and Parenting Self-efficacy of Mothers of Children With Learning Disabilities

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of parent-child interactive therapy on parenting stress and parenting self-efficacy in mothers of children with learning disabilities. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 5 mothers of male students with learning disabilities in Maragheh city Learning Disabilities Center in the academic year of 2018-2019 were selected by convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received two parent-child interactive treatments during 2 two-hour sessions. Data collection tools included a parenting stress questionnaire and a parenting self-efficacy questionnaire. Data were analyzed using multiple analyses of covariance in SPSS software v. 23. After controlling for pre-test effects, there was a significant difference between the mean post-test scores in parenting stress and parenting self-efficacy variables (P<0.01). Results: The results showed increased self-efficacy and decreased parenting stress in the experimental group (P<0.01). Conclusion: Parent-child interaction training affects mothers’ self-efficacy and parenting stress in students with learning disabilities, and it is recommended that parents design educational sessions.

The Comparison of the Effectiveness of Parent-Child Interaction Training and Adler-Dreikurs Parenting Training on Improving the Quality of the Parent-Child Relationship in divorced Mother’s Children

The Comparison of the Effectiveness of Parent-Child Interaction Training and Adler-Dreikurs Parenting Training on Improving the Quality of the Parent-Child Relationship in divorced Mother’s Children

Effects of parent-child interaction training on children who are excessively exposed to digital devices: A pilot study.

ObjectiveIn the last decade, the use of digital devices among children has increased. This study examines the effects of parent–child interaction training on the amount of time children use digital devices, conflict and closeness in parent–child relationships, executive functions, and the electroencephalogram absolute power in children who excessively use the digital devices.MethodThe sample group consisted of 12 children (24 to 47 months) who spent more than half of their waking hours using digital devices. Parents were trained to intensive interaction with the child for two months. Electroencephalogram absolute power, parent–child interaction, the amount of time children use digital devices, and children’s executive function skills were assessed.ResultsParent–child intensive interaction reduces the use of digital devices; decrease the conflicts and increase the closeness in parent–child relationships; decrease executive functioning problems; and increase the absolute power of alpha and alpha 2 (F3), beta 1 (F3), and beta and beta 2 (F3, Fp2).ConclusionThese findings provide evidence of the negative effects of the excessive use of digital devices in children, the importance of parent–child interaction, and its positive impacts on cognitive and brain functions in children. It might contribute to better understand the importance of parent–child interaction in the early years.

A Case Report of the Treatment of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) in a Non-specialist, Resource-Limited Environment Using the Co-care Approach

As the incidence of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) continues to grow, non-specialist mental health providers, particularly those in rural and remote areas, were access to mental health services are limited, will be increasingly called upon to treat this disorder. This will be particularly true for general practitioners, family physicians, paediatricians, mid-level providers and others, given the relative scarcity of clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and mental health providers in such settings. It is important for non-mental health specialists to recognise and have a basic understanding of how ODD can be treated in such settings. As such, this case report presents a typical ODD patient in such a setting, and details the course of the successful treatment of the patient using a variety of approaches, including parent-child interaction training, family therapy, social skills training, problem solving training in a co-care arrangement with a specialist mental health provider.

Nasal Oxytocin for Social Deficits in Childhood Autism: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The last two decades have witnessed a surge in research investigating the application of oxytocin as a method of enhancing social behaviour in humans. Preliminary evidence suggests oxytocin may have potential as an intervention for autism. We evaluated a 5-day 'live-in' intervention using a double-blind randomized control trial. 38 male youths (7-16 years old) with autism spectrum disorders were administered 24 or 12 international units (depending on weight) intranasal placebo or oxytocin once daily over four consecutive days. The oxytocin or placebo was administered during parent-child interaction training sessions. Parent and child behaviours were assessed using parent reports, clinician ratings, and independent observations, at multiple time points to measure side-effects; social interaction skills; repetitive behaviours; emotion recognition and diagnostic status. Compared to placebo, intranasal oxytocin did not significantly improve emotion recognition, social interaction skills, or general behavioral adjustment in male youths with autism spectrum disorders. The results show that the benefits of nasal oxytocin for young individuals with autism spectrum disorders may be more circumscribed than suggested by previous studies, and suggest caution in recommending it as an intervention that is broadly effective.

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: Application to maltreating parent-child dyads

Objective: Parent-Child Interaction Training (PCIT), which uses a social learning framework, is a dyadic intervention that is designed to alter specific patterns of interaction found in parent-child relationships. Previous research suggests that maladaptive and high-risk characteristics found in maltreating parent-child dyads may be responsive to PCIT. The primary focus of this study is to examine the effectiveness of PCIT with maltreating parent-child dyads. Methodology: This study describes the effectiveness of PCIT with 136 biological parent-child dyads in which 66.9% ( N = 91) of the children had been maltreated. Of the 91 maltreated children, 64.8% ( N = 59) of the parents had maltreated their children, and were thus considered to be at high risk of repeating the abuse. Results: Primary outcomes of this study show the following: (1) a decrease in child behavior problems, (2) a decrease in parental stress, and (3) a decrease in abuse risk from pre- to post-treatment for dyads with and without a history of maltreatment. Conclusions: Our results add to the body of research supporting PCIT as a promising intervention and as a means to aid both children and parents in high-risk families for maltreatment.

Commentary: Issues in Training Parents to Manage Children With Behavior Problems

Training parents in the use of contingency management methods to help them better manage their children's disruptive behavior is among the oldest and most well-substantiated treatment approaches in child mental health services ( Kazdin, 1991 Kazdin AE Effectiveness of psychotherapy with children and adolescents. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1991; 58: 729-740 Crossref Scopus (273) Google Scholar , Kazdin, 1997 Kazdin AE Parent management training: evidence, outcomes, and issues. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1997; 36: 1349-1356 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (350) Google Scholar ). Approaches to parent training may vary, but all seem to share a common set of principles concerning the changes that are often necessary in altering the eliciting events and consequences used by most parents of disruptive children to improve their child's behavior and compliance. These can be summarized as follows: reducing any positive reinforcement (such as parental attention) being inadvertently provided to the child for engaging in disruptive or defiant behavior, while simultaneously increasing the reinforcement parents provide for prosocial or compliant behavior; and applying punishment contingent on the display of disruptive or unacceptable behavior, while making parental use of consequences more predictable, contingent, and immediate ( Barkley, 1997 Barkley RA Defiant Children: A Clinician's Manual for Parent Training. 2nd ed. Guilford, New York1997 Google Scholar , Eyberg and Robinson, 1982 Eyberg SM Robinson EA Parent-child interaction training: effects on family functioning. J Clin Child Psychol. 1982; 11: 130-137 Google Scholar , Forehand and McMahon, 1981 Forehand R McMahon R Helping the Noncompliant Child: A Clinician's Guide to Parent Training. Guilford, New York1981 Google Scholar , Patterson et al., 1975 Patterson GR Reid JB Jones RR Conger RE A Social Learning Approach to Family Intervention. Vol 1. Castalia, Eugene, OR1975 Google Scholar , Wahler and Fox, 1980 Wahler RG Fox JJ Solitary toy play and time out: a family treatment package for children with aggressive and oppositional behavior. J Appl Behav Anal. 1980; 13: 23-39 Crossref PubMed Scopus (40) Google Scholar , Webster-Stratton and Spitzer, 1996 Webster-Stratton C Spitzer A Parenting a young child with conduct problems. in: Ollendick TH Prinz RJ Advances in Clinical Child Psychology. Vol 18. Plenum, New York1996: 1-62 Google Scholar ).

Parents' acceptability of alternative treatments for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Ninety-six parents evaluated alternative treatments for a child diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), according to both DSM-III-R and DSM-IV criteria. All subjects evaluated three psychosocial treatments for ADHD children (i.e., self-management therapy, parent training, parent-child interaction training) in addition to a no-treatment option. Half of the subjects also evaluated the acceptability of psychosocial interventions combined with psychostimulant medication. Results indicated that psychosocial treatments combined with psy chostimulant medication were rated significantly lower in acceptability than psychosocial treat ments alone. Child self-management therapy, parent training, and parent-child interaction train ing were generally rated as equivalent interventions although parent-child interaction training revealed the highest acceptability scores. All therapies were preferred to the no-treatment option.

Follow-up One Year after Parent-Child Interaction Training: Effects on Behavior of Preschool Children

A preventive mental health intervention previously reported found positive effects in a parent-child interaction training program on attention deficit and internalizing symptoms of low-income preschool children as rated by parents. Families were randomly assigned to a "minimal treatment" control group or a more extensive treatment experimental group. The present study reports follow-up results measured approximately 1 year after the end of the intervention. Parent ratings and child achievement test scores showed no difference between the two groups. Teachers blind to the condition of the intervention, however, rated experimental children as significantly superior to control children with respect to attention deficit and hyperactivity symptoms (preintervention ratings by teachers on the same variable were statistically controlled). Composite teacher ratings of child behavior also significantly favored the experimental group. Children's improvements in classroom behavior were significantly correlated with improvements parents had shown during the intervention in their behavior toward the children.

Reduction of Attention Deficit and Internalizing Symptoms in Preschoolers through Parent-Child Interaction Training

A preventive mental health intervention was tested with low income parent-child dyads. Parents who were having a problem with the behavior of their preschool child were recruited; 89 parents, of 96 children, completed pre- and postintervention assessments. Families were randomly assigned to a “minimal treatment” control group or a more extensive treatment experimental group. Parent training was supervised by the authors and delivered by paraprofessionals using standard treatment manuals. The more extensive intervention produced significantly more improvement in parents' ratings of children's symptoms of attention deficit and internalizing symptoms than did the control intervention. A blind measure of videotaped interaction between parent and child also demonstrated significantly more improvement from the experimental intervention. Both groups improved with respect to parents' ratings of children's oppositional symptoms. Change in parent ratings of children's behavior was correlated with change in blind observers' ratings in parents' behavior.

Parent-child interaction training for parents with a history of mental retardation.

The purpose of the present report was to describe parent-child interaction among families with a history of parental retardation and to explore the possibility of modifying the interaction through parent training. Subjects were six parents who attended eight small group sessions designed to teach relationship building skills. Parents learned to describe, praise, and reflect and to interact nondirectively by refraining from commands during play sessions with their child. Parents decreased directiveness (p less than .01) and increased positive verbal behavior (p less than .01) between pretraining and posttraining, but at one-month follow-up only the decrease in directiveness was maintained (p less than .01). Mentally retarded parents at follow-up were similar to a normative comparison group in number of praises used, but continued to lag behind in descriptive statements. Results suggested that parents with a history of mental retardation can acquire subtle attentional skills, but that they continue to use only the nondirective skills when training is discontinued. It was concluded that additional efforts to understand family interaction patterns and to provide parent training for parents with a history of mental retardation are worthwhile.