The foundations for mental health across the lifespan are laid in the earliest years of life, with the quality of the early caregiving environment playing a key role. Parent Child Interaction Therapy-Toddler (PCIT-T) is an attachment-informed parenting intervention that uses live coaching during parent-child play sessions. With the ultimate goal of setting young children on positive mental health trajectories, PCIT-T aims to increase positive parenting skills and sensitivity, parent-child attachment security, and child emotional and behavioural regulation.

This presentation will provide an overview of the PCIT-T model and its current evidence-base. Data will be presented from two randomised controlled trials (Study 1: N=66, Study 2: N=90; both studies: Mchild age=19 months, range 14-24) conducted with parent-toddler dyads referred for treatment of disruptive child behaviours. It will also report results of a recent pilot study (N=18, Mchild age = 14.2 months, range 12-18) testing outcomes of a brief 8-session PCIT-T program delivered preventatively via tele-health to parent-toddler dyads with psychosocial risk factors (e.g., young parents, parents who experienced postnatal depression). Across the studies, PCIT-T was associated with significant improvements in parenting capacity (e.g., enhanced parental self-efficacy, increased use of positive parenting behaviours, enhanced parenting sensitivity), and improvements in child behaviour (e.g., decreases in externalising and internalising behaviours).

Taken together, evidence suggests the benefits of PCIT-T as an early intervention for parents and toddlers with early onset behavioural difficulties, and its potential applicability as a prevention model for vulnerable families. Clinical implications and applications to other settings will be explored, and future research directions discussed.