This study explored predictors of treatment response and attrition in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Participants were 99 families of 3- to 6-year-old children with disruptive behavior disorders. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify those pretreatment child, family, and accessibility factors that were predictive of success/attrition. For all study participants, waitlist group assignment and maternal age were the significant predictors of outcome. For treatment participants (study participants excluding those who dropped out after the initial evaluation but before treatment began), only maternal ratings of parenting stress and maternal inappropriate behavior during parent-child interactions were significant predictors of treatment outcome. These results suggest that for treatment studies of disruptive preschoolers, the benefits of using a waitlist control group may be outweighed by the disproportionate number of dropouts from this group. Once families begin PCIT, however, parent-related variables become salient in predicting treatment outcome.

Child Study Lab
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology
University of Florida
P.O. Box 100165
Gainesville, FL 32610
Phone (352) 265-0680 x 46878
E-mail: seyberg@hp.ufl.edu
© 2001 University of Florida
Last updated: March 07, 2006.