Understanding parent-child interaction therapy outcomes across treatment duration

Kaitlyn Wortham, Mindy Yard and Elizabeth Brestan-Knight

Children and Youth Services Review, 2025, vol. 179, issue C

Abstract: Attrition in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an ongoing challenge encountered by clinicians. However, evidence suggests that families who attend some PCIT sessions but terminate before completing the full protocol still experience significant decreases in child disruptive behaviors (Lieneman et al., 2019). The present study examined both disruptive behaviors and parenting skills acquisition among four groups: one treatment completer group and three early terminator groups categorized by session attendance. All groups demonstrated significant improvements in caregiver-reported child disruptive behaviors and observed parenting skills from pre-treatment to final session attended, although families who completed the full PCIT protocol appeared to experience the greatest benefits. These findings may provide encouragement to clinicians experiencing high attrition rates and inform strategies to optimize treatment benefits at various stages of PCIT implementation.

Keywords: Attrition; Disruptive behavior disorders; Parenting skills; Parent management training; Early intervention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:179:y:2025:i:c:s0190740925005183

DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108635

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