U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Use and Feasibility of Telemedicine Technology in the Dissemination of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy

NCJ Number
224551
Journal
Child Maltreatment Volume: 13 Issue: 4 Dated: November 2008 Pages: 377-382
Author(s)
Beverly W. Funderburk; Lisa M. Ware; Elizabeth Altshuler; Mark Chaffin
Date Published
November 2008
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This brief report discusses the feasibility and use of technology in the dissemination of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).
Abstract
This article discusses the use and feasibility of telemedicine technology in the dissemination of PCIT. PCIT is described as an empirically supported behavioral parent training program for reducing disruptive behavior in young children and for reducing future rates of child physical abuse. The positive impact PCIT has demonstrated in reducing child maltreatment has galvanized interest in widespread dissemination of the PCIT model into child service systems. The authors indicate that PCIT has traditionally been taught in university-based training programs in a mentored co-therapy model, but by contrast, in field settings, PCIT training typically consists of workshop training supplemented by a period of telephone consultation (PC). Given concerns with the level of practitioner competency and fidelity yielded by the PC model, PCIT training programs have begun to examine Internet-based telemedicine technology to deliver live, mentored PCIT training to trainees at remote locations (Remote Real-Time or RRT) to better approximate the university-based training model. Challenges of disseminating evidence-based practices are also discussed, using PCIT as a model of how these challenges are being addressed by telemedicine technology. References