Toward evidence-based treatment: child-parent psychotherapy with preschoolers exposed to marital violence.
OBJECTIVE
Treatment outcome for preschool-age children exposed to marital violence was assessed, comparing the efficacy of Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) with case management plus treatment as usual in the community.


METHODS
Seventy-five multiethnic preschool mother dyads from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds were randomly assigned to (1) CPP or (2) case management plus community referral for individual treatment. CPP consisted of weekly parent-child sessions for 1 year monitored for integrity with the use of a treatment manual and intensive training and supervision. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist and participated in the Structured Clinical Interview for DC:0-3 to assess children's emotional and behavioral problems and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Mothers completed the Symptom Checklist-90 and the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale interview to assess their general psychiatric and PTSD symptoms.


RESULTS
Repeated-measures analysis of variance demonstrated the efficacy of CPP with significant group x time interactions on children's total behavior problems, traumatic stress symptoms, and diagnostic status, and mothers' avoidance symptoms and trends toward significant group x time interactions on mothers' PTSD symptoms and general distress.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings provide evidence of the efficacy of CPP with this population and highlight the importance of a relationship focus in the treatment of traumatized preschoolers.
Lieberman
Alicia F
AF
Child Trauma Research Project, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco CA 94110, USA. alicial@itsa.ucsf.edu
Van Horn
Patricia
P
Ippen
Chandra Ghosh
CG
D019090:Case Management; D002667:Child Reactive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome