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. 2025 Feb;56(1):101-110.
doi: 10.1007/s10578-023-01539-4. Epub 2023 May 12.

Tele-PCIT: Initial Examination of Internet Delivered PCIT for Young Children with Autism

Rosmary Ros-DeMarize  1 , Andrea Boan  2 , Catherine Bradley  2 , Jordan Klein  2 , Laura Carpenter  2
Affiliations

Tele-PCIT: Initial Examination of Internet Delivered PCIT for Young Children with Autism

Rosmary Ros-DeMarize et al. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2025 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an empirically supported behavioral parenting program for disruptive behavior and has been shown to also be effective for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Telehealth delivery of PCIT (Tele-PCIT) is also supported, but no trials have focused on children with ASD. The purpose of the study was to examine the initial efficacy of a time limited version of Tele-PCIT within an ASD sample.

Methods: Participants included parents of 20 children (ages 2-6) with ASD who received 10 sessions of Tele-PCIT. Parents reported on their parenting stress, parenting practices, and child behavior. A play observation was coded for parent use of treatment skills and for child compliance.

Results: 80% of participants completed treatment (n = 16) and results revealed significant improvements across parenting and child outcomes. Parents reported decreases in parenting stress from pre-to-post-treatment, which were maintained at a 3-month follow-up, along with decreases in negative parenting practices (i.e., Laxness and Overactivity) from pre-to-post treatment that were also maintained at follow-up. Significant increases in parent use of positive parenting skills (i.e., "Do" Skills) during child-led play and decreases in negative parenting skills (i.e., "Don't" Skills) were observed. Results also revealed significant reductions in parent rated child externalizing behavior problems from pre-to-post-treatment that were also maintained at follow-up.

Conclusions: Results of the current study support the initial efficacy of Tele-PCIT for treating disruptive behavior in young children with ASD. Findings from this pilot will inform larger examinations of Tele-PCIT for youth with ASD.

Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Behavioral Parent Training; Disruptive Behavior; Externalizing Behavior Problems; Parent Child Interaction Therapy; Telehealth.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors have no conflicts of interests to report. Ethical Approval: The current study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board at the Medical University of South Carolina. All study procedures conformed to ethical standards and participants provided informed consent to participate. Study Summary: The current study examined the initial efficacy of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) delivered via telehealth within a sample of young children (ages 2–6) with autism spectrum disorder. 80% of participants completed treatment with high levels of satisfaction and results revealed significant improvements across parenting (parenting stress and parenting practices) and child outcomes (externalizing behavior problems). The current study provides support for Tele-PCIT as a feasible and acceptable treatment for disruptive behavior in young children with ASD.

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