Oxytocin Levels and Parent Child Interaction Therapy for Parental Stress and Attachment

This study aims to explore the potential benefits of Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) on self-reported stress and autonomic and neuroendocrine functioning in parents. It focuses on parents who have experienced various types of traumatic experiences, such as childhood adversity, maltreatment, and health situations. The research team uses well-validated self-report measures of mental health, autonomic reactivity, parental stress, attachment, and non-invasive measurements of levels of oxytocin to accomplish their goals. The study's importance lies in understanding how PCIT can help parents better manage stress and improve their relationships with their children. Throughout the study, participants will complete self-report questionnaires and provide salivary samples for oxytocin level assessment. The questionnaires measure various aspects, including the impact of adversity history, anxiety, autonomic reactivity, child behavior, depression, parental attachment, parental stress, and post-traumatic stress symptoms. By examining these measures before and after PCIT, the study will evaluate the therapy's effectiveness in improving parental stress, parent-child attachment, and parental neuroendocrine functioning. The study also investigates individual characteristics that may influence the effectiveness of PCIT, such as stress and prior adversity.