Abstract
Objectives
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based parent training programme, distinctive in its live coaching of parents with children via an ear-piece and one-way mirror. Yet few studies have explored the acceptability of PCIT to parents—and those which do exist have typically relied upon quantitative methods such as inventories or rating scales. The current study aimed to gain in-depth insight into parents’ experiences, and perspectives of PCIT utilising a qualitative methodology.
Methods
Sixteen parents who had participated in PCIT in a community setting in New Zealand took part in semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts led to the emergence of several themes.
Results
Despite early scepticism, self-consciousness, and initial discomfort with the use of particular strategies (e.g., time out), parents described an effective treatment that facilitated a progression from feelings of inadequacy to confidence, and despair to optimism. Child-led play, an essential component of PCIT, was viewed as surprisingly effective by parents. Parenting skills which initially felt awkward and un-natural, became more intuitive and instinctive through repeated rehearsal and coaching support. Parents also consistently described the influential role of the coach in facilitating change—particularly in improving parent emotion regulation abilities.
Conclusions
This detailed account of the parent experience of progression through PCIT enhances existing knowledge of factors related to parent engagement with, and attrition from the programme. It also highlights the multidimensional role of the therapist coach in supporting parent emotion regulation abilities—an area which warrants further empirical research.
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Acknowledgements
The research was conducted during tenure of a Foxley Fellowship for Dr Melanie Woodfield from the Health Research Council of New Zealand.
Author Contributions
M.W.: designed and executed the study, analysed the data, and wrote the paper. C.C.: collaborated with the design of the study, data analyses and editing of the paper.
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Conflict of Interest
M.W. is a Level 1 trainer for PCIT International – though receives no additional remuneration for this role – and was the treatment provider for several families. An independent interviewer was contracted to ensure that families were more able to speak openly of their experiences. An independent collaborator, the second author C.C., assisted with data analysis to ensure impartiality.
Ethical Approval
Ethical approval for this study was obtained from both New Zealand’s Health and Disability Ethics Committee [18/NTB/12], and the Auckland District Health Board Research Review Committee [#7674]. The study was carried out in accordance with the ethical standards of these groups, and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.
Informed Consent
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Participants were provided with a detailed Participant Information Sheet, and key points were explained aloud. In every case, both the researcher (or researcher’s representative) and participants signed a detailed consent form after this discussion. Both the Participant Information Sheet and the Consent Form were reviewed and approved by both New Zealand’s Health and Disability Ethics Committee [18/NTB/12], and the Auckland District Health Board Research Review Committee [#7674] prior to the study commencing. Pseudonyms were assigned, and identifying information removed prior to the interview transcripts being uploaded to data analysis software and shared with the second author.
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Woodfield, M.J., Cartwright, C. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy from the Parents’ Perspective. J Child Fam Stud 29, 632–647 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01611-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01611-5