title: Feasibility of intensive parent-child interaction therapy (I-PCIT): Results from an open trial.
abstract: The current pilot study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and initial outcome of an intensive and more condensed version of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (90 minute sessions for 5 days/week over the course of 2 weeks).
  
  
  
  Using an open trial design, 11 children (Mchild age = 5.01 years) and their mothers completed a baseline period of 2 weeks, a treatment period of 2 weeks, and a post-treatment evaluation. A follow-up evaluation was also conducted 4 months following treatment completion. Across all assessments, mothers completed measures of child behavior and parenting stress, and observational data was collected during three 5-minute standard situations that vary in the degree of parental control (child-led play, parent-led play, & clean-up).
  
  
  
  All 11 families completed the intervention with extremely high attendance and reported high satisfaction. Results across both mother report and observations showed that: a) externalizing behavior problems were stable during the baseline period; b) treatment was effective in reducing externalizing behavior problems (ds = 1.67-2.50), improving parenting skills (ds = 1.93-6.04), and decreasing parenting stress (d= .91); and c) treatment gains were maintained at follow-up (ds = .53-3.50).
  
  
  
  Overall, preliminary data suggest that a brief and intensive format of a parent-training intervention is a feasible and effective treatment for young children with externalizing behavior problems with clinical implications for improving children's behavioral impairment in a very brief period of time.
authors.affiliation: Center for Children and Families & Department of Psychology, Florida International University.
authors.forename: Paulo A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Graziano
authors.affiliation: Center for Children and Families & Department of Psychology, Florida International University.
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bagner
authors.affiliation: Center for Children and Families & Department of Psychology, Florida International University.
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slavec
authors.affiliation: Center for Children and Families & Department of Psychology, Florida International University.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hungerford
authors.affiliation: Center for Children and Families & Department of Psychology, Florida International University.
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kent
authors.affiliation: Center for Children and Families & Department of Psychology, Florida International University.
authors.forename: Dara
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Babinski
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, University of Kentucky.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Derefinko
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Simon Fraser University.
authors.forename: Dave
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pasalich
keywords: PCIT; brief treatment; child; externalizing behavior problems; parent training