Poster #166 - Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Improves Emotional Availability in Both Parents and Children

• In Event: 2-055 - Poster Session 06
  In Poster Session: PS 06 Section - Prevention and Interventions

Integrative Statement

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based dyadic intervention for children with behavior problems and their caregivers (Eyberg & Robinson, 1983). Founded on social learning and attachment theories, PCIT has been shown to improve both parent and child outcomes, showing efficacy even in maltreating samples (Allen, Timmer, & Urquiza, 2014; Thomas & Zimmer-Gembeck, 2011; Timmer, Ho, Urquiza, Zebell, Fernandez y Garcia, & Boys, 2011). Although PCIT explicitly aims to build and foster a positive parent-child relationship, relatively little research has investigated the specific nature of the changes in the parent-child relationship itself throughout the course of therapy.

This study examined dyadic changes in Emotional Availability (EA) from pre- to post-PCIT treatment. Emotional availability (Biringen, 2008; Biringen, Robinson, & Emde, 1998) is a multifaceted construct, measuring the dynamic quality of a dyadic interaction. EA scales include four ratings of caregiver behavior (sensitivity, structuring, nonintrusiveness, and nonhostility) and two ratings of child behavior (responsiveness and involvement of caregiver). Rooted in attachment theory, EA provides an important index of the changing dyadic relationship over the course of therapy.

Participants in this study were children aged 3- to 5.5-years-old (M = 4.11) and their biological mothers (N = 93). All dyads completed the full course of PCIT at a university hospital-based outpatient clinic primarily serving children with a history of maltreatment. Paired t-tests were conducted to examine changes in overall Emotional Availability (EA) from pre- to post-treatment. Both mothers (t(92)=-8.65, p<.001) and children (t(92)=-8.49, p<.001) showed significant improvement in their overall emotional availability from pre- to post-treatment. In addition, EA improved significantly in both maltreating dyads (mothers: t(65)=-7.39, p<.001; children: t(65)=-6.31, p<.001) and those with non-maltreated children (mothers: t(26)=-4.42, p<.001; children: t(26)=-6.41, p<.001). Furthermore, change in mother’s overall EA from pre- to post-treatment significantly predicted change in child’s EA (b = 0.52, p<.001), explaining a significant proportion of the variance (R2 = 0.37, F(1, 91) = 54.11, p<.001).

This study indicates that PCIT improves both mother and child EA, adding to the literature on PCIT’s impact on this dyadic measure (Timmer et al., 2011). In addition, this study establishes a basis for examining changes in the parent-child relationship as a potential mediating mechanism through which PCIT improves children’s social and behavioral outcomes. Investigating the relation between changing mother and child emotional availability, and how these changes account for the effectiveness of PCIT on children’s problems, we can better understand and focus interventions, tailoring them to target these essential components. We will discuss our findings through this applied lens, with a focus on effective dyadic interventions in intergenerational cycles of risk, and optimizing outcomes for both parents and children.

Authors

• Abby Lavine, UC Davis
  Presenting Author

• Susan G Timmer, UC Davis CAARE Center
  Non-Presenting Author