Father Participation in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: Predictors and Therapist Perspectives

Abstract

Although engaging fathers effectively can bolster and sustain treatment outcomes, fathers participate in their children’s treatment at lower rates than mothers and have been left out of the literature on caregiver engagement. Because provider attitudes and behaviors shape the course of treatment, therapist perspectives on father attendance and engagement should be investigated. A mixed-method study design examined rates and predictors of father attendance in treatment and therapist perspectives on father engagement in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Quantitative data were gathered through a survey distributed to PCIT therapists (n = 267) to identify the effects of: 1) therapist and caseload characteristics, 2) therapist confidence working with fathers, 3) therapist use of father engagement strategies, and 4) organizational practices for engaging fathers, on father attendance rates. Qualitative interviews with 23 therapists were thematically analyzed to expand upon therapist experiences engaging fathers. Therapists reported that on average, 60.97% of cases with a father available had regular session attendance by the father. Only frequency of therapist use of father engagement strategies predicted father attendance rate. Qualitative interviews expanded on the many barriers therapists face to engaging fathers and the variety of strategies they employ to engage fathers. Rates of father attendance in PCIT are higher than what has been previously reported in the literature but still show room for improvement. Despite barriers, therapists remain dedicated to developing solutions to elicit father engagement. Future research should evaluate whether therapist-reported engagement strategies effectively increase father participation and can be more widely disseminated.