Increasing PRIDE Skills for Child Engagement Using iPCIT with Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Many children with autism spectrum disorder display elevated levels of problem behaviors, such as aggression and defiance, in addition to symptoms characteristic of autism, such as deficits in social communication and interaction. Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a behavioral parent training program designed to improve problem behavior in young children by teaching parents to use skills that reinforce appropriate behaviors. In addition, the interactive nature of PCIT may help children with autism increase the rates at which they engage and interact with their caregivers. There are many barriers to treatment completion in PCIT, including high attrition rates due to high mastery criteria to complete treatment and travel time and costs. Internet-delivered PCIT (iPCIT) may be an effective alternative to traditional clinic-based PCIT that may make intervention more accessible to family. The present study utilized a multiple baseline design across three caregiver-child dyads with autism to determine whether a CDI-only iPCIT protocol with more attainable mastery criteria affected caregivers’ use of PRIDE skills, children’s engagement, and children’s problem behavior. Results indicated that caregivers increased their use of PRIDE skills, two out of three children increased their engagement, and two out of three children showed improvements in problem behavior. Implications for practice, limitations of the current study, ideas for future research, and conclusions are presented.