Parent-Child Interaction Therapy With Behavior Problem Children: Generalization of Treatment Effects to the School Setting

Abstract

Abstract Evaluated generalization of treatment effects from home to school setting in ten 2to 7-year-old children who were referred for treatment of severe conduct problem behaviors occurring both at home and in the classroom. Families received 14 weeks of parent-child interaction therapy. No direct classroom interventions were conducted. The treatment group displayed significantly greater improvements than two control groups on all measures of conduct problem behavior in the classroom. Results in the areas of hyperactivity/distractibility and social behavior were less supportive of generalization. Positive school generalization results contradict previous findings that children's behavior in the classroom either shows minimal improvement or worsens following parent training.