Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: A Meta-Analysis of Child Behavior Outcomes and Parent Stress

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a behavioral family therapy approach that aims to establish a parent-child relationship that will enable parents to teach their preschool-age child prosocial skills, leading to a decrease in inappropriate and maladaptive behaviors. The purpose of this article is to review recent research on PCIT and conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of this parenting intervention as reported in 11 studies that met criteria for involvement. In addition to child behavior, this meta-analysis focuses on parenting stress as a primary outcome of interest. The authors found an emphasis on effectiveness, dissemination, and portability to diverse populations in our review of PCIT outcome studies from 2004 to 2011. Implications for practice, policy, and research are addressed.