Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Toddlers: A Pilot Study

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based program used to treat behavioral disorders in early childhood (2-7 years; Eyberg, 1988). This article describes a modified version of PCIT for young toddlers (PCIT-T) adapted to meet the developmental needs of children aged 12-24 months. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of PCIT-T with 29 parent-toddler dyads (children aged <2 years) presenting with significant behavior problems, assessed pretreatment and post-treatment. Outcomes for two groups of older children who participated in PCIT (Group 1: 2-3 years, n = 29; Group 2: 3-4 years, n = 29) were also assessed. Results showed PCIT-T to be associated with a range of positive child and parental outcomes including decreased intensity of disruptive child behaviors, increased parental utilization of PCIT parenting skills, decreased parental depressive symptoms, and high levels of consumer satisfaction with the program. This study provides early evidence that a modified version of PCIT can be successfully used to treat behavior disorders in children aged less than 2 years.