Effectiveness of Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT) in a Preschool Setting

Abstract

This research addressed the need for trained child care staff to support optimal early social-emotional development in urban, low-income, ethnic minority children. We evaluated effectiveness of Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT), an approach adapted from Eyberg's Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). TCIT focuses on increasing preschool teachers' positive attention skills and consistent discipline in order to enhance children's psychosocial functioning and prevent mental health problems. A total of 12 teachers participated in small-group workshop sessions with in vivo coaching on their use of skills in the classroom. A multiple-baseline design across four classrooms (3 teachers each) evaluated effects of training on teacher behaviors during weekly classroom observations. Findings indicated systematic increases in trained skills during intervention, and consumer evaluations showed that the training was rated positively. Our results suggest that TCIT is a promising approach for enhancing positive teacher-child interactions in a preschool setting and should receive further investigation.

Improving Teacher-Child Relationship Quality and Teacher-Rated Behavioral Adjustment Amongst Externalizing Preschoolers: Effects of a Two-Component Intervention

“…In finding a significant decrease in EPB for the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 Running Head: intervention group in a large-scaled randomized controlled trial, this study supports and extends results of previous small-scaled two-component intervention studies (e.g., Lyon et al, 2009). In addition, it mirrors findings from randomized controlled trials with Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, a parallel intervention focused on parent-child interactions (e.g., Herschell et al, 2002).…”

“…In finding a significant decrease in EPB for the extends results of previous small-scaled two-component intervention studies (e.g., Lyon et al, 2009). In addition, it mirrors findings from randomized controlled trials with Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, a parallel intervention focused on parent-child interactions (e.g., Herschell et al, 2002).…”

“…More specifically, a growing number of observational studies have focused on the link between the affective quality of the teacher-child relationship (TCR) and teacher behavior management, on the one hand, and preschooler behavioral adjustment, on the other (e.g., Cowan & Sheridan, 2009; Pianta et al, 2003). Also, interventions grounded in attachment and learning theory, aimed at improving preschooler behavioral adjustment by focusing on both enhancing the TCR and teacher behavior management, are on the rise (e.g., Gershenson, Lyon, & Budd, 2010;Lyon et al, 2009;Webster-Stratton & Reid, 2009). The main goal of the present study is to contribute to this body of literature by investigating the effect of a two-component intervention (i.e., Playing-2-gether) on the TCR and preschooler behavioral adjustment in a randomized controlled trial.…”

Adapting an evidence-based intervention to improve social and behavioral competence in Head Start children: Evaluating the effectiveness of teacher-child interaction training

“…The DePaul Model of TCIT retains many of the core aspects of PCIT, but includes several adaptations, including: (a) a subset of established PCIT skills (e.g., teachers are taught to reduce but not eliminate commands and questions); (b) a group training format (i.e., three teachers and two or three trainers per group); (c) utilization of skills with multiple children at the same time (as opposed to teacher-child dyads); (d) a time-limited (versus data-driven) approach; and (e) in-classroom coaching (Gershenson, Lyon, & Budd, 2010;Lyon et al, 2009 observed between two to 10 minutes during each observation period and behaviors were coded as present or absent during 10-second intervals (rather than using a frequency count). The study used a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design to examine the effects of the TCIT intervention across the four participating classrooms.…”

“…However, no changes in teacher positive behavior mean levels were found between the CDI and TDI phases (i.e., increased rate from 19% to 20%), and the majority of the classrooms demonstrated a deceleration of CDI skills during the TDI phase. Of the four teachers for whom follow-up data were collected, many of the positive behavioral changes had attenuated four months after the TCIT intervention, and a negative slope was found at follow-up across classrooms (Lyon et al, 2009). …”