Conduct-disordered behavior in preschool-age children represents the single most important behavioral risk factor for later antisocial behavior and can be reliably identified in children as young as 3 years. Early intervention may be critical. Without treatment, conduct-disordered behavior is highly persistent and worsens with time. Evidence indicates that the short-term effects of interventions at preschool age are highly effective, may be more effective than treatments when children are older, and may prevent many of the associated academic and peer difficulties that require multiple interventions only a few years later. Evidence of the long-term effects of treatment (beyond 1 year), however, are limited. The few studies that exist suggest that beyond the first follow-up year, as many as 50 percent of treated children may return to pretreatment levels. Lack of information about the course of child and family functioning after treatment hinders our understanding of factors associated with treatment failure, and studies of psychosocial maintenance treatments for children are almost nonexistent. This project will test the continuing care model of maintenance treatment that assumes that conduct disorder is a chronic condition requiring monitoring and booster treatment at times of incipient relapse during childhood. Participants will be 100 families of children ages 3 to 6 with Oppositional Defiant Disorder referred to one of two clinics for treatment. Families will be randomly assigned to the standard treatment group (parent-child interaction therapy; PCIT) or to the maintenance treatment group (standard treatment followed by a two-year period of monitoring and treatment-as- needed). We predict significant differences at 2-year follow-up favoring the maintenance treatment group in child and parent functioning assessed by multiple method/multiple informant measures across settings. We expect responsiveness to treatment in both groups to be influenced most strongly by parent psychological variables. Predictors of outcome will be examined separately for the African American subgroup to inform the development of a culture specific treatment protocol.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01MH060632-01
Application #
6027699
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZMH1-ITV-D (01))
Program Officer
Hibbs, Euthymia D
Project Start
1999-12-01
Project End
2004-11-30
Budget Start
1999-12-01
Budget End
2000-11-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2000
Total Cost
$451,111
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Florida
Department
Other Health Professions
Type
Schools of Public Health
DUNS #
073130411
City
Gainesville
State
FL
Country
United States
Zip Code
32611
Eyberg, Sheila; Boggs, Stephen; Jaccard, James (2014) Does maintenance treatment matter? J Abnorm Child Psychol 42:355-66
Fernandez, Melanie A; Eyberg, Sheila M (2009) Predicting treatment and follow-up attrition in parent-child interaction therapy. J Abnorm Child Psychol 37:431-41
Chase, Rhea M; Eyberg, Sheila M (2008) Clinical presentation and treatment outcome for children with comorbid externalizing and internalizing symptoms. J Anxiety Disord 22:273-82
Harwood, Michelle D; Eyberg, Sheila M (2006) Child-directed interaction: prediction of change in impaired mother-child functioning. J Abnorm Child Psychol 34:335-47
Harwood, Michelle D; Eyberg, Sheila M (2004) Therapist verbal behavior early in treatment: relation to successful completion of parent-child interaction therapy. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 33:601-12
Bagner, Daniel M; Eyberg, Sheila M (2003) Father involvement in parent training: when does it matter? J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 32:599-605