Home > Conference Calendar > 13th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect > Presentations Abstracts > PARENT-CHILD INTERACTION THERAPY: TRAINING FOR PROFESSIOSSSNALS WHO WORK WITH HIGH-RISK FAMILIES

PARENT-CHILD INTERACTION THERAPY: TRAINING FOR PROFESSIOSSSNALS WHO WORK WITH HIGH-RISK FAMILIES

SKILL SEMINAR D

Anthony J. Urquiza, Ph.D.
Amy Herschell
Jean McGrath, Ph.D.
Nancy Zebell, Ph.D.
UCDavis Medical Center, CAARE Center
3300 Stockton Boulevard,
Suite 1155
Sacramento, CA 95820-1451

PARENT-CHILD INTERACTION THERAPY: TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK WITH HIGH-RISK FAMILIES

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an intensive parent treatment program initially developed to assist parents whose children have severe behavioral problems (e.g., aggression, non-compliance, temper tantrums). Because many of the behavioral and interpersonal characteristics of these children and those who have been physically abused are similar, PCIT was adapted as an intervention for physically abusive families.

The PCIT program consists of a Relationship Enhancement component and a Discipline component. Within the Relationship Enhancement component, parents are taught and 'coached' on how to decrease negative aspects of the relationship with their child and to develop consistently positive communication. In the Discipline component, parents are taught and 'coached' on the elements of effective discipline and child management skills. In both components of the program, parents are taught specific skills, given the opportunity to practice these skills during therapy, then continue practicing skills until mastery is acquired and the child's behavior has improved.

A clinical research grant funded by the National Institute of Mental Health has demonstrated that PCIT is effective in increasing parenting skills, decreasing child behavior problems, and enhancing parent-child relationships. These results have been found with high-risk/physically abusive families, physician-referred (nonabusive) families, and foster parents. In addition, PCIT has been demonstrated to be effective with Hispanic, African American, and Caucasian families.

Recent joint public/private funding has resulted in the development of a PCIT Training Curriculum for training mental health agencies in PCIT. This workshop will describe the results of an initial phase of training, in which 13 mental health agencies throughout California have been provided technical assistance, staff training (i.e., PCIT therapists), and supervisor training (training of trainers). The overall objective of the PCIT Training Curriculum is to establish a treatment program with a high standard of service to families in the child welfare system, with a staff (therapists and supervisors) that no longer requires the supervision of the training agency.

Participants in this session will be provided an overview of an interpersonal/behavioral theoretical perspective on child physical abuse, followed by a description of the ways in which PCIT is appropriate for high-risk and physically abusive families. Participants will have an opportunity to observe and then practice (in role-play format) basic PCIT skills. It is expected that participants will have had some experience in working with physically abusive families, aggressive/defiant children, and/or parenting interventions.

Updated on February 24, 2010