Abstract
We examined the outcome of parent–child interaction therapy (PCIT) for a child diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and cancer. “Robert,” a 4-year-old Caucasian male, showed significant and meaningful changes in his behavior over the course of 13 weeks of PCIT, and Robert no longer met diagnostic criteria for ODD following treatment. His scores on the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory and the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist were in the clinical range before treatment and in the normal range at the conclusion of treatment. His mother also reported dramatic improvements in Robert's behavior during medical visits. Physician and social worker reports were consistent with her report. Such anecdotal data may have implications for the generalization of compliance to the medical setting for children with chronic illnesses. The results of this case study should prompt further investigation of parent-training interventions for children with chronic illnesses and disruptive behavior.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Abidin, R. (1995). Parenting Stress-Manual (3rd ed.). Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
Achenbach, T. M. (1991). Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist/4–18 and 1991 profile. Burlington, VT: Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont.
American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., text revision). Washington, DC: Author.
Colvin, A., Eyberg, S. M., & Adams, C. (1997, April). Standardization of the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory with chronically ill children. Poster session presented at the Sixth Annual Conference on Child Health Psychology, Gainesville, FL. Poster available on-line at www.pcit.org.
Eyberg, S. M. (1988). Parent–child interaction therapy: Integration of traditional and behavioral concerns. Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 10, 33-46.
Eyberg, S. M., Bessmer, J., Newcomb, K., Edwards, D., & Robinson, E. A. (1994). Dyadic parent–child interaction coding system-II: A manual. Social and behavior sciences documents (Ms. No. 2897). Manuscript available on-line at www.pcit.org
Eyberg, S. M., & Pincus, D. (1999). Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory and Sutter–Eyberg Student Behavior Inventory: Professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
Funderburk, B., Eyberg, S. M., Newcomb, K., McNeil, C., Hembree-Kigin, T., & Capage, L. (1998). parent–child interaction therapy with behavior problem children: Maintenance of treatment effects in the school setting. Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 20, 17-38.
Jensen, P. S., Watanabe, H. D., Richters, J. E., Roper, M., Hibbs, E. D., Salzberg, A. D., Liv, S. (1996). Scales, diagnoses, and child psychopathology: II. Comparing the CBCL and the DISC against external validators. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychopathology, 24, 151-168.
Johnson, J. H., McCaskill, J., & Werba, B. (2001). Aggressive, delinquent, and antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. In E. Walker & M. Roberts (Eds.), Handbook of clinical child psychology (3rd ed., pp 393-413), New York: Wiley.
LaGreca, A. M., & Schuman, W. B. (1995). Adherence prescribed medical regimens. In M.C. Roberts (Ed.), Handbook of pediatric psychology (2nd ed., pp 55-83). New York: Guilford.
Loeber, R., Burke, J. D., Lahey, B. B., Winters, A., & Zera, M. (2000). Oppositional and defiant disorder: A review of the past 10 years, part I. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 39, 1468-1484.
Mathews, J. R., Spieth, L. E., & Christophersen, E. R. (1995). Behavior compliance in a pediatric context. In M. Roberts (Ed.), Handbook of pediatric psychology (2nd ed., pp 617-632), New York: Guilford.
McNeil, C., Eyberg, S., Eisenstadt, T., Newcomb, K., & Funderburk, B. (1991). Parent–Child interaction therapy with behavior problem children Generalization of treatment effects to the school setting. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 20, 140-151.
Miller, E. M., & Eyberg, S. M. (1991). Parent–Child interaction therapy with a diabetic child. In S. R. Boggs & C. M. Rodriguez (Eds..), Advances in Child Health Psychology: Abstracts. Gainesville, FL: Clinical and Health Psychology Publishing.
Mullins, L. L., & Chaney, J. M. (2001). Pediatric Psychology. In C. E. Walker & M. C. Roberts (Eds.), Handbook of clinical child psychology. John-Wiley and Sons: New York.
Nixon, R. D. V., Sweeney, L., Erickson, D. B., & Touyz, S. W. (2003). Parent–Child interaction therapy: A comparison of standard and abbreviated treatments for oppositional defiant preschoolers. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 71, 251-260.
Perez, J. C., Bell, S., Adams, R. W., Garzarella, L., & Eyberg, S. M. (2002). Tracking treatment progress of families with oppositional preschoolers. Poster session presented at the Third Annual Parent–Child Interaction Therapy Conference, Sacramento, CA.
Pincus, D. B., Choate, M. L., Eyberg, S. M., & Barlow, D. H. (in press). Treatment of young children with separation anxiety disorder using parent–child interaction therapy. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice.
Schuhmann, E. M., Foote, R. C., Eyberg, S. M., Boggs, S. R., & Algina, J. (1998). Efficacy of parent–child interaction therapy: Interim report of a randomized trial with short-term maintenance. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 27, 34-45.
Shaffer, D., Fisher, P., Lucas, C. P., Dulcan, M. K., & Schwab-Stone, M. E. (2000). NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version IV (NIMH DISC-IV): Description, differences from previous versions, and reliability of some common diagnoses. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 39, 28-38.
Tremblay, R. E. (1992). The prediction of delinquent behavior from childhood behavior: Personality theory revisited. In J. McCord (Ed.), Facts, frameworks, and forecasts. Advances in criminological theory (Vol. 3, pp. 193-230). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.
Ware, L. M., Fortson, B. L., & McNeil, C.B. (2003). Parent–Child interaction therapy: A promising intervention for abusive families. The Behavior Analyst Today, 3, 375-382.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bagner, D.M., Fernandez, M.A. & Eyberg, S.M. Parent–Child Interaction Therapy and Chronic Illness: A Case Study. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings 11, 1–6 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOCS.0000016264.02407.fd
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOCS.0000016264.02407.fd