Helping parents generalize PCIT skills to manage ASD-related behaviors: Handouts and clinical applications

This chapter will provide several handouts for parents to help tailor Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) skills to manage autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-related behaviors (e.g., repetitive play, sensory dysregulation, insistence on sameness, poor social skills). Handouts cover how to manage ASD-related behaviors within the context of PCIT’s two phases: Child-Directed Interaction (CDI) and Parent-Directed Interaction (PDI). The chapter will additionally provide strategies for clinicians to help parents generalize skill acquisition to the home (e.g., additional considerations for setting up Special Time practice) and community environments (e.g., using CDI skills throughout the day). This chapter and the accompanying parent handouts aim to provide information for clinicians to best support families of children with ASD in generalizing these skills to manage ASD-related behaviors.