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

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

Setting Up a DPICS Observation Playroom set-up Toys Appropriate toys Inappropriate toys Standard instructions Bug-in-the-Ear Room Simple table Two chairs at table Time-out chair in corner Additional room selected at time-out room Toys should be placed out of containers (4-5 age appropriate toy sets in room 2 toy sets on table, one set scattered in each corner of room (for CU) Toys should be constructive toys that pull for quiet creative play No board games with rules No story books No toys that pull for active (balls)or violent (guns) play No messy toys (paint, sand) Bug in ear Checked (battery etc.) before session Instructions for each situation (in DPICS manual) If not memorized, should be available to read

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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!