Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/ARND Research Consortion-Oklahoma

PCIT has been adapted by the applicant for group administration. The intervention will consist of 90-minute sessions of PCIT once a week for 14 weeks. During PCIT sessions parents and children will participate in activities that promote interactions. A behavior specialist who will be observing through a two-way mirror assists parents in development of appropriate behaviors and interaction techniques. Parents will be prompted by use of in-ear devices (i.e., bug in the ear). This intervention has been shown to be effective in other populations. For each family, individualized goals for parent-child interactions will be set and reviewed each session. Homework assignments also will be given.

Parent Component: Three 90-minute sessions conducted in a group format. Topics will include: FAS/ARND education, impact of FAS/ARND on families, specific development of a child with FAS/ARND, and FAS/ARND social skills and deficits.

Evaluation Plan: Treatment and control groups will be compared using pre- and post-tests measures. Post-tests will be at the conclusion of the intervention and at a 6, 12, and 18-month follow-ups. Process (e.g., parent satisfaction, compliance, etc) and outcome (e.g., behavior, family functioning, etc) measures will be evaluated.