The Pros And Cons Of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy

We absorb elements from previous parenting training programs and form a Cognitive Behavioral Parent Training Program (CBPTP) for Child Abuse Prevention targeting first time mothers. Previous evaluation studies show that cognitive behavioral parenting programs are more effective than other kinds of parenting programs with respect to child abuse treatment and intervention (Barlow, 2006). Most of parenting programs specifically designed for child abuse problems are used as a tool for treatment of parents who have already exhibited maltreatment behavior and their children who have suffered maltreatment, for example, Abuse-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT). The most appropriate target population of AF-CBT is physically abusive parents and their school-aged children (Kolko, 1996). Here the CBPTP is given to first

It is applied based on the need of the child. In the initial stage, which is engagement stage, the objective is to make them feel motivated and offer a better way of thinking. The next step involves behavioral change which is achieved by actively involving them to do things that they enjoy. By so doing, the therapist will have enabled the client to develop an alternative way of thinking making them feel better. At the end of the sessions the cognitive interventions facilitated by therapist will have helped the client (child) on ways to attend to information, identify thinking errors and help them to consider other alternatives in their thinking process hence develop a more unbiased thinking.

My first assumption of family therapy was to involve the parents and the individual that had the problem. This book explored further what it

“Behavior problems (e.g., aggression, oppositional behaviors, separation anxiety) in young children ages 5 years and younger are common and often begin in the toddler and preschool years” (Fung, Fox, & Harris, 2014 p.623; as cited in Fox & Holtz, 2009). Unfortunately, Fung et al. (2014) found that there are some at-risk young children whose behavior problems fail to dissolve. If not treated, these conduct issues frequently form into more serious psychiatric side effects as children advance into adolescence and adulthood, and regularly induce future cycles of violence (as cited in Campbell, 2002; Einfeld et al., 2006; Robert, Mazzucchelli, Studman, & Sanders, 2006). Fortunately, there are programs available to help at-risk young children with behavior problems. One of those programs is called Early Pathways (EP). EP is a therapy program that takes place in the home of the child and their parents (Fung et al., 2014). Fung et al. decided to incorporate the EP program into their study to find out if the program would be successful for the 447 at-risk children ages 5 and younger who were participating in the study. The article by Fung et al. offers direction for creating successful early-mediation for families of low-income to improve behavior results for their children.

The literature has shown children dealing with PTSD have many intervention tools that can be administered by clinicians in direct practice. PTSD can present symptoms that are often diagnosed as anther disorder such as oppositional defiant, conduct, mild TBI, and separation anxiety. There are many evidence-based intervention tools used in treatment such as recovery techniques, pharmacotherapy, psychoeducation, psychodynamic and cognitive behaviour therapy. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is the most used intervention tool in direct practice, and it is used in countries around the world. CBT is used with children with different ethnicities with ages ranging from preschool to high school. Many clinicians use CBT with other intervention treatment

We believe that parents and families have the primary role in encouraging their child’s development. The therapists work in partnerships with families to develop treatment plans that address their needs and concerns. Personal information shared about each child allows us to individualize the services provided. In addition to our direct therapy services, we provide families with advocacy and assistance

Separate meetings for the child and for the parents or caregivers are an important part of the treatment. As with any therapy, creating a therapeutic connection with the child and parent is crucial to TF-CBT. The specific components of TF-CBT are summarized by the acronym PRACTICE: •

The Thriving Child Center provides PCIT for children who act out or have behavioral problems. They teach parents skills to improve the parent-child relationship, implement discipline strategies, and apply the skills they learned to multiple settings. They individualize the program based on the family’s needs and personalities. They will track the child’s behavior at every session to make sure the child is improving. Dr. Clionsky is looking at PCIT for children with Autism Spectrum and how adaptations can be made to improve behaviors and attachment in autistic children using

In addition, Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), has shown to be effective in child abuse victims and their parents. Improvements of parenting skills, less child behavioral problems, and better parent-child relationship are all outcomes of PCIT. In this therapy the parent and child have directed interaction. The parent is taught communication skills. After that the parent can play with the child while the therapist coaches the parent. Clear commands are taught to use at home and in public. In this activity the child must lead the activity and the parent mustn’t criticize the child to create a positive relationship. The study suggested that PCIT decreased reports of abuse and decreased behavior at school (Paul, Gray, Elhai, Massad, & Stamm, 2006).

Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT; Cohen, Mannarino, & Deblinger, 2006) is a highly structured and family-centered treatment. It is currently regarded as the most rigorously tested and efficacious treatment for CSA survivors and their caregivers. In a typical 16-session TF-CBT treatment, both the children and the parents will go through three stages: preparation (psychoeducation, affection regulation and cognitive coping), processing (trauma processing and "en vivo" mastery), and termination (enhancing safety and development).

A child’s anxiety is decreased when parents are present, parent’s confidence levels increased concerning exercises to be done at home, and often the time it takes to go through the exercises is shortened due to the compliance of children when parents are present (Tecklin 2008). Rosenbaum states that parents and family members know a child best and understand their limitations and tendencies, which can be quite resourceful for therapists trying to understand the child (2009). Parents were often under the assumption that therapists held a “hierarchical position over them… therefore needed to step down from the pedestal of professionalism to lean from and share the perspectives and expertise that parents bring to the collaborative process” (Hanna & Rodger 2002). Obviously these scholars are under the impression that if parents and therapists, as equals, combine their efforts, children will experience a better outcome from their therapy

The treatment modalities focus on the acronym“PRACTICE” cited in the Child Welfare and Information gateway portal: The first component is Psychoeducation and parenting skills, this educates (non offender) parents about child abuse and helps provide them with strategies to help prevent future occurrences, Relaxation techniques are utilized to help the child focus on the behavior the maladaptive behavior. Techniques such as focused breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and visual imagery are utilized. Affective expression regulation helps the child and parent manage their emotional reactions to reminders of abuse, and improve their ability to identify and express emotions and participate in self soothing activities. Cognitive coping and processing helps the child and parent understand the connection between ideas and feelings and “acting out”. Behaviors can be corrected by addressing inaccurate attributions related to every day events. Trauma narrative and processing is the next stage of the exercises. In this stage children are given exercised that are verbal, written or symbolic recounting the abusive events to help process the thoughts about the

Similar to diagnosis standards, there is no standard for treatment methods or procedures. However, there are a few popular treatment programs, and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is one (“Best practice treatments”). PCIT is a “dyadic behavioral intervention” centered around the caregiver and the child playing together (“Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) 2006). The therapy procedure was designed for children ages two through seven, although it has been adapted for children ages four through twelve (“Parent-Child Interaction Therapy” 2006; “Parent-Child Interaction Therapy”). The goal of PCIT is to decrease the child’s behavioral issues, increase the child’s social skills, and improve the relationship between the child and the caregivers (“Parent-Child Interaction Therapy” 2006). The program is completed when the caregivers master the skills, usually within ten to twenty one-hour sessions. For this reason, PCIT is only successful when the child has the same caretakers for the duration of the program (“Parent-Child Interaction Therapy with At-Risk Families”).

This essay is intended to evaluate one therapeutic intervention or theory that may be used in Family therapy. The theory being examined is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or for short CBT. The essay will begin with defining CBT and discussing the underlying principles, techniques and concepts of the approach. Some practical examples and scenarios of utilizing CBT will then be explored. Then the essay will proceed to a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of this therapeutic intervention. Finally a conclusion regarding employing such techniques will be made.

PMTO works by the therapist coaching and supporting parents to treat their children’s behavior problems. Sigmarsdóttir and Guðmundsdóttir (2013) believes that “family interactions that are characterized by escalating negative interactions contribute to coercive patterns