Potential Benefits of Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
Purpose
The goal of this study is to explore possible benefits of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). The main goals of the study are: - To investigate whether pre-survey measures of autonomic reactivity relate to the overall functioning of participants. - To examine the effects of PCIT To identify individual characteristics that influence the effects of PCIT. Participants will: - complete 5 online surveys (1x pre-PCIT, 3x during PCIT, and 1x post-PCIT) - complete the PCIT program
Conditions
- Autonomic Dysregulation
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Parent-Child Relations
Eligibility
- Eligible Ages
- Between 18 Years and 89 Years
- Eligible Genders
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- Parents of children aged 2-7 years old who are eligible for Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) based on behavioral concerns. - The primary caregiver of the child and be actively involved in the child's daily care. - Willing to attend all PCIT sessions and complete pre-, mid- and post-intervention assessments. - Fluent in English to ensure comprehension of the intervention and assessment materials.
Exclusion Criteria
- Parents with diagnosed severe mental health disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder) that may interfere with participation in PCIT. - Children with conditions that require interventions other than PCIT (e.g., severe developmental disabilities). - Parents who have previously participated in PCIT are excluded to avoid confounding results.
Study Design
- Phase
- Study Type
- Observational
- Observational Model
- Cohort
- Time Perspective
- Other
Arm Groups
| Arm | Description | Assigned Intervention |
|---|---|---|
| PCIT Group | All participants will complete the five online surveys and provide two saliva samples. |
|
Recruiting Locations
More Details
- Status
- Recruiting
- Sponsor
- University of Florida
Detailed Description
It is the specific intent of this proposal to experimentally explore the possible benefits and mechanisms through which PCIT can influence self-reported stress and autonomic and neuroendocrine functioning in parents. This will be accomplished by our team by using well-validated self-report measures of mental health, autonomic reactivity, parental stress and attachment, and non-invasive measurements of levels of oxytocin. Specific Aim 1: To investigate whether pre-intervention measures of ANS reactivity and the neuropeptides oxytocin relate to the overall functioning of the participants. - The investigators will examine how measures of autonomic reactivity and levels of oxytocin relate to prior mental/medical health. - Hypothesis: Participants with lower levels of oxytocin and/or increased autonomic reactivity will report being more impacted by their prior adversity and having more emotional/physical symptoms. Specific Aim 2: To investigate the impact of PCIT - The investigators will explore whether PCIT leads to improvements in parental stress, parent-child attachment, and parental neuroendocrine functioning. - Hypothesis: Parents will show a significant decrease in perceived stress and improvement in emotional wellbeing oxytocin levels following CDI. They will also show a decrease in perceived stress, and improvement in attachment and emotional wellbeing following the entire PCIT intervention. Specific Aim 3: To identify individual characteristics that influence the effectiveness of PCIT. - The investigators will explore the impact of specific vulnerability and resiliency factors (e.g., stress, prior adversity) on how well parents benefit from PCIT - Hypothesis: Parental stress and prior mental/medical adversity will negatively impact the effectiveness of intervention
