The Effects of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) on Behavioral Problems of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of treatment program based on Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) on behavioral problems of children with autism spectrum disorder. The research design was quasi experimental conducted with a control group of 27 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (3 to 7 years) at the rehabilitation centers in Tehran. The participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly divided into two groups of 15 and 12 people experimental or control group. The experimental group received 13 sessions of 60 minutes of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy as a group, twice a week. To collect data from questionnaire, Behavioral Problems as pre-test and post-test Child Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4) were used in two groups. For statistical analysis, repeated measurement was used to comply with the assumptions. The results showed that Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) decreases the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Oppositional defiant disorder, conduct and separation anxiety and in reducing general anxiety, social anxiety, major depression, and continuous depression was not effective. Therefore, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) reduces the behavioral problems of children with autism spectrum disorder and can be used to reduce the adverse behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorders.