Training and supervision around the world

Abstract

Increasingly, evidence supports the utility of using parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) to address childhood disorders in a number of populations. To increase the reach of PCIT to a greater number of families and insure the faithful application of PCIT with clients, effective dissemination efforts must also be investigated. This chapter describes the PCIT International training model and investigates the extant international research on PCIT training and supervision. Attention is paid to how training and training materials have been adapted for audiences outside the United States, although many studies have not fully described the training process used. The chapter also attempts to translate the current research findings into specific guidance in how trainers can address organizational (e.g., lack of agency support) and trainee (e.g., aversion to manualized treatments) barriers and increase trainee fidelity to the PCIT model. For example, it may be useful for trainers to have open discussions of trainees' personal views of the treatment, provide information on how PCIT can be applied to meet the unique needs of each family, work extensively with agency administrators to prepare the organization for implementing PCIT, and continue to follow-up on these issues throughout the supervision process. The chapter also describes how components of the PCIT model, such as an emphasis on in vivo practice and feedback and the integration of assessment, can be applied to the training process. Finally, a case scenario is provided to explicate how these suggestions can be used to meet the needs of specific trainees.