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Evaluation of a Treatment Manual and Workshops for Disseminating, Parent–Child Interaction Therapy

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Abstract

This study’s main purposes were to: (a) evaluate a treatment manual as a dissemination strategy, (b) compare two workshop formats for evidence-based treatment (EBT) training, and (c) provide preliminary data on therapist characteristics potentially associated with successful EBT adoption. Forty-two community-based clinicians were assigned to one of two training groups (didactic or experiential). Behavior observation and self-report data were collected at four time points. Results suggest that reading a treatment manual is useful, but not sufficient. Experiential and didactic training were equally effective in increasing knowledge, skill, and satisfaction; however, after a 2-day training, few participants demonstrated mastery of skills.

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Notes

  1. Of the 13 people who participated in only phase one, the following reasons were given for discontinuing participation: (a) one agency originally sent 10 people to phase one; however, afterward the agency executive director selected three to participate in the year-long training, excluding seven people from participation; (b) after significant administrative changes, three participants resigned from one agency; (c) two practicum students completed training with an included agency and sought employment elsewhere; and (d) one person from another agency decided not to participate in the training project due to time constraints.

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Acknowledgments

Thank you to Kevin Larkin, Tandy McClung, Daniel McNeil, and Tracy Morris for their constructive feedback during project development and their thoughtful review of a previous version of this manuscript. We also would like to thank Kimberly Lee Mowrey and Eric Vargas for their assistance on the project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O’Hara Street - 537 Bellefield Towers, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    Amy D. Herschell

  2. West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA

    Cheryl B. McNeil

  3. CAARE Diagnostic and Treatment Center, University of California, Davis Children’s Hospital, Sacramento, CA, USA

    Anthony J. Urquiza, Jean M. McGrath, Nancy M. Zebell, Susan G. Timmer & Alissa Porter

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  1. Amy D. Herschell
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  2. Cheryl B. McNeil
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Correspondence to Amy D. Herschell.

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Herschell, A.D., McNeil, C.B., Urquiza, A.J. et al. Evaluation of a Treatment Manual and Workshops for Disseminating, Parent–Child Interaction Therapy. Adm Policy Ment Health 36, 63–81 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-008-0194-7

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