An exploration of the value in integrating pre-treatment assessments of caregiver-child Dyad functioning

Parent child interactions constitute a wide variety of behaviors that have been linked to a variety of childhood outcomes. A variety of caregiver-child dyadic treatment modalities have arisen, such as Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and Theraplay, that aim to improve the quality of parent child interaction. These modalities utilize pre-treatment semi-structured observational assessments to establish the current functioning of the caregiver-child dyad and inform treatment goals. PCIT utilizes the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System, Fourth Edition (DPICS-IV) and Theraplay utilizes the Marschak Interaction Method (MIM). Given the similar interests of these assessments in assessing the quality of parent-child interaction, a comparison of these two assessments was conducted.Parent-child dyads consisting of children aged between four and six were recruited and administered both the DPICS and MIM. Through case conceptualization and comparison, the similarities, differences, and unique utility each assessment offers were elaborated upon. The current study views the potential future integration of the DPICS and MIM to be a valuable endeavor to create more comprehensive assessments of parent-child interaction for clinical practice.