(PS8-B28) A Mixed Methods Study of Pcit-toddler Using a Group-based, Abbreviated Design with Japanese Mothers and Toddlers

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy-Toddler (PCIT-T) is an adaptation of PCIT, a widely disseminated, evidence-based treatment for children ages 2-7 years with behavior problems. There is emerging evidence that suggests that PCIT-T may be a promising intervention for reducing disruptive behaviors in toddlers ages 12-24 months and improving the use of positive parenting skills among caregivers (Kohlhoff & Morgan, 2014; Kohlhoff et al., 2020). Additionally, a qualitative study by Kohlhoff and colleagues (2020) examining parental perceptions of the first phase of PCIT-T found that parents reported improvements in parenting strategies and parent-child relationship quality. Further study is needed to establish it as an empirically supported intervention for this age group. The current study fills a gap in the early PCIT-T literature by using a mixed methods approach to investigate parent and child outcomes following a novel abbreviated, group-based version of PCIT-T among Japanese mother-toddler dyads.

In the present study, five mothers (Mage = 34.8 years) and their toddlers (Mage = 27.6 months; 60% male) participated in a 4-session version of PCIT-T. Quantitative measures included parent-reported disruptive behavior on the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI), parenting stress on the Parenting Stress Index (PSI), and parent satisfaction of the treatment on the Therapy Attitude Inventory (TAI), as well as behavioral observations of parenting skills using the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System (DPICS). Qualitative measures included a semistructured interview inquiring about helpful and unhelpful aspects of treatment, skills acquired, preference for individual versus group-based formats, and changes to the family and/or parent-child relationship. Data were collected at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at a 3-month follow-up with the exception of the TAI (administered at post-treatment only) and the DPICS (administered at pre- and post-treatment). For the majority of participants, improvements in disruptive behavior on the ECBI Intensity scale were found from pre-treatment (M = 118.2 SD = 31.5) to post-treatment (M = 96.4, SD = 29.8) and maintained at follow-up (M = 91.0, SD = 17.8). Reductions on the PSI Total Stress scale from pre-treatment (M = 83.0, SD =14.3) to follow-up (M = 71.0, SD = 17.7) were found across all participants. On average, parents displayed 14.3 more positive parenting verbalizations (pre-treatment M = 6.3, SD = 0.6; post-treatment M = 20.7, SD = 5.5) and 27.7 fewer negative verbalizations (pre-treatment M = 31.7, SD = 5.13, post-treatment M = 4.0, SD = 3.0) at post-treatment. Cohen’s κ was .788 for DPICS codes, indicating substantial interrater agreement (Landis & Koch, 1977). Average parental satisfaction with treatment as reported on the TAI was a 42.8 (SD = 2.8) out of 50 (i.e., score indicating maximum satisfaction). Parents reported positive themes related to increased social support and social learning aspects of the group-based format, whereas others reflected on the challenging nature of sharing personal details about their family in front of others.