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Accumulating Evidence for Parent–Child Interaction Therapy in the Prevention of Child Maltreatment
Author(s) -
Thomas Rae,
ZimmerGembeck Melanie J.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01548.x
Subject(s) - child abuse , psychology , injury prevention , poison control , suicide prevention , randomized controlled trial , human factors and ergonomics , child development , occupational safety and health , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , medicine , medical emergency , surgery , pathology
In a randomized controlled trial, the effectiveness of Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and correlates of maltreatment outcomes were examined. Mothers ( N = 150) had a history or were at high risk of maltreating their children. After 12 weeks and compared to waitlist, PCIT mothers were observed to have improved parent–child interactions and reported better child behavior and decreased stress. At PCIT completion, improvements continued and mothers reported less child abuse potential and had improved maternal sensitivity. Also, PCIT completers were less likely to be notified to child welfare than noncompleters. Finally, those families not notified post‐PCIT showed greater reductions in child abuse potential and improvements in observed sensitivity during treatment. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.