Preventing Maltreatment with a Community-Based Implementation of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy.

The purpose of this study was to examine rates of child abuse and neglect reports following a community implementation of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), an evidence-supported intervention for the prevention of maltreatment. Among a group of families receiving PCIT, predictors of reports were examined including family demographics, course of treatment, changes in clinical measures, and caregiver report for prior maltreatment victimization and perpetration. Participants (n=120) included families at-risk for future maltreatment with and without prior maltreatment history. Agency case records were linked with state administrative records of child welfare reports. Time to follow-up ranged from 13-40 months. Bivariate and multivariate survival analyses are used to model risk for a later report. During the follow-up period, 12.5% of families had a report for physical abuse or neglect. Reports of prior victimization as a child and prior perpetration as an adult were strong predictors of a report of perpetration after PCIT. Dosage of PCIT and change in clinical measures did not increase risk for a later report. PCIT can be an effective intervention for preventing maltreatment. Family history of child welfare involvement is a prominent factor in assessing risk for future involvement.

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

OBJECTIVES: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.