The Effectiveness of Teacher-Child Interaction Training with Young Maltreated Children

Abstract

Children under age six years are disproportionately exposed to maltreatment but are underrepresented in research on effective treatments (Lieberman et al., 2011). Parent-Child Interaction Therapy has been shown to be effective in samples of children exposed to maltreatment (e.g., Timmer et al., 2006). Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT), an empirically-supported school-based intervention, may be especially appropriate for maltreated children because they often experience caregiver disruptions which pose challenges to traditional parent-child treatment. Furthermore, research suggests that positive teacher-child relationships can influence behavior and social-emotional functioning for children who lack positive caregiving experiences (Sabol & Pianta, 2012). This project is a comparison study of TCIT versus treatment-as-usual at a therapeutic preschool for maltreated youth. Thirty-eight children (2-5 years old) and eight teachers from four classrooms participated in the study. Four teachers (two classrooms) completed the TCIT protocol (Gershenson et al., 2010). Teacher behaviors were observed and coded at baseline, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. Teachers reported on children’s behavior and social-emotional skills and teaching-related stress at baseline, post-treatment, and follow-up. TCIT teachers demonstrated substantial increases in positive attending skills (PRIDE skills) and decreases in negative talk and questions during intervention phases, and these skills were maintained at follow-up. TCIT children demonstrated a significantly greater increase in overall social-emotional skills by post-treatment than TAU children. Also, TCIT teachers reported significantly lower teaching stress compared to TAU teachers at post-treatment while controlling for baseline stress. Effect sizes were large for teacher behavior and medium for child outcomes and teacher stress. Treatment group did not have a statistically significant effect on overall behavior problems or self-regulation, and follow-up results on a subsample of children (n = 11) were varied. However, the direction and differences between TCIT and TAU group means and the medium to large effect sizes suggest consistency with hypotheses. Findings provide preliminary support for TCIT’s effectiveness in an early educational setting for children at high risk for behavioral and social-emotional problems.