Date of Graduation
5-2026
Document Type
UAF Access Only - Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Psychological Science
Advisor/Mentor
Lauren Quetsch
Committee Member
Mitch Brown
Second Committee Member
Jenna Donohue
Third Committee Member
Andrew Dowdle
Abstract
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based intervention designed to improve caregiver-child relationships and reduce disruptive behaviors in young children. Recent efforts have explored adaptations of PCIT for autistic youth, including brief, group-based formats intended to increase accessibility for families. The present study examined caregiver satisfaction with a brief, group-based PCIT-Autism intervention delivered either with or without individualized coaching sessions. Caregiver-child dyads (N = 17) were randomly assigned to either a coaching condition (n = 9) or a non-coaching condition (n = 8). A mixed-methods approach was used to evaluate caregiver satisfaction, including quantitative ratings from a group satisfaction survey and qualitative responses analyzed using thematic analysis. Six primary themes emerged from qualitative responses: Tailored to Individual Needs, Accountability, Support and Validation, Content, Larger Scale Impact of PCIT-Autism, and Structure. Quantitative analyses revealed no significant differences in caregiver satisfaction between coaching and non-coaching conditions. Additionally, no significant differences were observed in attrition rates or session attendance across groups. These findings suggest that both formats of the PCIT-Autism intervention were similarly acceptable to caregivers. The results highlight the potential flexibility of implementing PCIT-Autism with or without individualized coaching, which may have important implications for increasing accessibility to evidence-based interventions for families of autistic youth.
Keywords
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, autism, caregiver satisfaction, group-based intervention, coaching, mixed methods, accessibility
Citation
Schlegel, M. G. (2026). Caregiver Satisfaction of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Autistic Youth: A Mixed-Methods Study of Coaching vs. Non-Coaching Approaches. Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/psycuht/82
