Convergence of Parent Report and Child Behavior using the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System (DPICS)

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ORIGINAL PAPER

Convergence of Parent Report and Child Behavior using the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System (DPICS) Allison M. Cotter

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Elizabeth Brestan-Knight1

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© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020

Abstract The Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System (DPICS) is an analogue behavioral observation that examines the quality of parent-child interactions as well as child prosocial and disruptive behaviors. With previous research focusing primarily on parent verbal behaviors, there is limited psychometric support and understanding of the DPICS coding categories for child behaviors. As such, the current study investigated associations between child verbal behaviors coded using updated DPICS editions and parent ratings on measures of child functioning for externalizing, internalizing, and adaptive behavior. Participants were 120 parent-child dyads drawn from two samples who participated in a DPICS observation and completed measures. Children were between ages 2 and 11 and exhibited a range of clinical problems (e.g., conduct issues, anxiety, no clinical problems). Results revealed significant associations between child verbalizations coded during the DPICS and parent-reported child functioning for externalizing and adaptive areas but not for internalizing problems. Specifically, children who exhibited more negative talk and who were less compliant during the DPICS were rated higher on parent-report measures of externalizing behaviors, whereas children who asked more questions, engaged in more prosocial talk, and exhibited fewer vocalizations (e.g., yelling, whining) were rated higher on parent-reported measures of adaptive skills and lower on parent-report measures of externalizing behavior. These findings demonstrate convergence between observed child behavior and parent ratings, enhancing clinical interpretation of the DPICS child codes within a broader clinical population. This study provides support for multi-method assessment and highlights the need for future research examining bidirectional effects within parent-child interactions. Keywords Parent-child relations Assessment Analogue behavioral observation Dyadic parent-child interaction coding system ●





Highlights Observed child behaviors were related to parent reports of child functioning. ● Children who were less compliant and more critical had more reported conduct issues. ● Frequency of questions and prosocial talk was related to child adaptive skills. ● None of the DPICS categories were related to child internalizing problems. ● Relations between observed and parent-reported child behavior differed by measures. ●

Recent calls for evidence-based assessment (EBA) highlight the importance of gathering and integrating data using assessment tools that incorporate multiple informants and

* Allison M. Cotter [email protected] 1

Department of Psychological Sciences, Auburn University, 226 Thach Hall, Auburn University, AL, USA

modalities (Mash and Hunsley 2005). Even tho