How to Code with the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System

1. How to Code with the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System DPICS Abbreviated and comprehensive coding manuals are available at www.PCIT.org

2. Purposes of Coding in PCIT • Quantifies the quality of parent-child interaction • Determines coaching goals for each treatment session • Enables therapist to give feedback to parents on weekly progress • Determines when parenting skills are mastered

3. Setting Up a DPICS Observation • Playroom set-up • Toys • Appropriate toys • Inappropriate toys • Standard instructions • Bug-in-the-Ear

4. Three Coding Situations • Child-Led Play • Low demand • Parent-Led Play • Moderate demand • Clean Up • High demand

5. 7 Parent Categories Labeled Praise Behavioral Description Reflection Direct Command Indirect Command Question Negative Talk 3 Child Categories Compliance Noncompliance No Opportunity to Comply Category DefinitionsYou Need to Know to Conduct PCIT

6. Praise • Praise expresses a positive evaluation of the child’s behavior, activity, or products Unlabeled Praise —tells child the parent likes something, but not specifically what the parent likes Labeled Praise —tells child specifically what the parent likes

7. Which are Labeled Praises? 1. You are using pretty colors. 2. Good girl! 3. Thank you for sharing! 4. Nice work. 5. Your drawing is nice. 6. My drawing is wonderful! 1, 3, and 5

8. Reflections • Reflection repeat what the child has just said using the same or similar words • Have same meaning as what child said • May elaborate on what child said • Reflections do not change the meaning of the child’s statement or interpret unstated ideas

9. Which Parent Responses are Reflections? Child says: “I like these yellow blocks” Parent says: 1. “You like the yellow blocks” 2. “I like the yellow blocks too” 3. “The yellow blocks are your favorite” Answer is 1 Child says: “The big car is red” Parent says: 4. “The big car is blue” 5. “The big automobile is red and fast” 6. “It’s big and red” Both 5 and 6

10. Behavioral Description • Describes what the child is doing • The subject of the sentence is the child “You are drawing a tall tree.” • The verb describes the child’s current or immediately completed behavior “You are drawing a tall tree.”

11. Which are Behavioral Descriptions? • You are putting the cow in the barn. • Now the cow is in the barn. • It must be the cow’s bedtime. • You are closing the barn door so the cow can sleep. • You are smart to know the cow was sleepy. • You look sleepy too. • You are pretending to be asleep. 1,4, and 7

12. Question • Questions ask the child something • They have the sentence structure of a question or a questioning voice inflection • Are you going to use the yellow crayon? • What color do you want? • Yellow? • It’s really yellow, isn’t it? • Do you really want to use yellow? • Why are you drawing it all yellow? These are all questions

13. Negative Talk • Statements expressing disapproval of the child or the child's attributes, activities, products, or choices • Criticism is Negative Talk • Sarcasm is Negative Talk • Examples • That yellow was not a good choice • That’s not the right color for a lake • Stop being silly • Don’t use any more yellow • Your drawing is ugly • I want you to stop that • Can’t you hear? These are all Negative Talk

14. Command • A direction to the child • The child (“you”) is the stated or implied subject • A verb tells the child to do something • Direct Commands • Indirect Commands

15. Direct Command • Declarative statement that contains an order or direction to the child to perform a behavior • Examples • Give me the round block • Please sit in this chair • Put the block in the box • Sweetie, hold my hand • Tell me what this is, please • Point to the biggest one

16. Indirect Command • Command implied or stated in question form • Examples • Let’s put away the yellow crayon • We’re going to draw with the red crayons • Here’s the part you need to color • Will you hand me a red one? • Could you put that yellow one away?

17. Child Responses to Commands • Compliance • The child obeys, starts to obey, or tries to obey a direct or indirect command within 5 seconds • Noncompliance • The child does not obey or try to obey within 5 seconds • The child stops trying to complete the task before 5 seconds end • No opportunity to comply • Behave! • Be careful • Listen carefully • Remind me tomorrow

18. Neutral Talk • Statements that do not fit into other categories • That’s a blue block • I’m building a tower • Your coat is by the door • His name is Barney • This is fun • Okay

19. Want to Try Coding CLP?(indirect command) • I will be the mother • Dr. Funderburk will be the child • Take a minute to look at your coding sheets • When we start, make a tally mark in the correct box for everything I say • I might be a nice mother or a not-nice mother!