Alisa Bahl, PhD (on right)
The Jefferson Trust awarded Alisa Bahl, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and Pediatric Psychology, an $80,000 grant for a project focused on using Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) to address mental health needs of young children in Virginia.
Dr. Bahl and her team will use the funding to develop a flagship clinic to increase access to PCIT by training UVA psychologists, graduate students, and community therapists to provide this evidence-based intervention. Increasing the number of PCIT-trained therapists will grow the capacity to reach more parents and children both locally and across Virginia and to reach families in underserved areas. The PCIT clinic is part of the new UVA Health Children’s Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Health Clinic that opened on Dec. 20, 2024.
Parent Child Interaction Therapy is an evidence-based treatment for young children with behavioral problems, including children who have been impacted by trauma and foster care placement. PCIT focuses on building a warm, secure relationship between a child and caregiver first, followed by decreasing difficult behavior by teaching caregivers skills to address their child’s behavioral issues.
“Teaching parents, in the moment, how to respond to challenging behavior, how to address those big emotions that happen, how to remain calm and emotionally regulate for themselves while soothing their child — that’s where the magic happens. Parents learn, not just the skills, but they learn that they can do this. It gives them the confidence they need so that they can help their child,” stated Dr. Bahl.
PCIT is unique in that caregivers participate in live coaching sessions conducted by the therapist during play-based interactions. Therapists coach caregivers from an observation room with a one-way mirror using an ear-bud and microphone. Caregivers learn to use positive parenting skills with support from their PCIT therapist, while playing with their child.
Because the therapist is not visible to the child during the interaction, they begin to respond differently to their caregiver, and the caregiver learns how to respond differently to their child’s behavior as it is occurring in session. This unique feature of PCIT is part of why it is such an effective intervention and also why parents report very high levels of treatment satisfaction.
“Changing the course of the parent-child relationship early will serve as a protective barrier so that these children will have better mental health outcomes throughout their lives,” said Dr. Bahl.
Another reason that PCIT is so effective is due to the systematic approach to training therapists. Therapists undergo extensive training and are ultimately certified by PCIT International. Despite robust effectiveness of PCIT, relatively few therapists at UVA or in Virginia have been trained and certified.
This inspiring work by Dr. Bahl is one of 17 new grants awarded by The Jefferson Trust in the 2024-25. In total, The Jefferson Trust funded nearly $1.5 million for innovative and forward-thinking projects and programs across the University of Virginia this year.
Filed Under: Clinical