Abstract:
Given the enormous individual, familial, and societal costs associated with early disruptive
behavior disorders, transformative efforts are needed to develop innovative options for
overcoming traditional barriers to effective care and for broadening the availability of supported
interventions. This paper presents the rationale and key considerations for a promising innovation
in the treatment of early-onset disruptive behavior disorders—that is, the development of an
Internet-based format for the delivery of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) directly to
families in their own homes. Specifically, we consider traditional barriers to effective care, and
discuss how technological innovations can overcome problems of treatment availability,
accessibility, and acceptability. We then detail our current Internet-delivered PCIT treatment
program (I-PCIT), which is currently being evaluated across multiple randomized clinical trials
relative to waitlist comparison, and to traditional in-office PCIT. Embedded video clips of children
treated with I-PCIT are used to illustrate novel aspects of the treatment.