The Use of the Establishing Operation in Parent-Child Interaction Therapies

ABSTRACT

Parent-child interaction therapies such as PCIT are empirically supported interventions for children with disruptive behavior disorders. Although demonstrated as effective, the mechanisms responsible for change have not been fully described. Although the success of many parent-child interaction therapies has been explained using behavioral principles, other explanations such as improving the attachment between the parent and the child have also been offered. It is the intent of this paper to offer a purely behavioral conceptualization using the concept of the establishing operation of how parent-child interaction therapies such as PCIT change behavior.

KEYWORDS:

• Establishing operation
• EO
• PCIT
• parent-child interaction therapy
• behavioral interventions