Tailoring Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) for Older Children: A Case Study

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based intervention designed for families of 2-to 6-year-old children with disruptive behavior disorders. This article illustrates the application of PCIT in a 10-year-old boy with attention defi cit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defi ant disorder (ODD). Both parents and the patient attended PCIT sessions. The course of therapy included minor changes to the PCIT protocol. After 13 PCIT sessions, the patient displayed disruptive behaviors within normal limits, and 12 months later he no longer met diagnostic criteria for ODD. Results remained stable at a 17-month follow-up assessment. This case study suggests that the use of PCIT in families of children with ODD markedly older than the recommended age range might be a promising approach for improving family functioning and reducing behavior problems. Further research with larger samples of older children with ODD is needed to replicate and elaborate the fi ndings of this case study.