This research addressed the need for trained child care staff to support optimal early social-emotional development in urban, low-income, ethnic minority children. We evaluated effectiveness of Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT), an approach adapted from Eyberg's Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). TCIT focuses on increasing preschool teachers' positive attention skills and consistent discipline in order to enhance children's psychosocial functioning and prevent mental health problems. A total of 12 teachers participated in small-group workshop sessions with in vivo coaching on their use of skills in the classroom. A multiple-baseline design across four classrooms (3 teachers each) evaluated effects of training on teacher behaviors during weekly classroom observations. Findings indicated systematic increases in trained skills during intervention, and consumer evaluations showed that the training was rated positively. Our results suggest that TCIT is a promising approach for enhancing positive teacher-child interactions in a preschool setting and should receive further investigation.

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This study investigated the properties of a new rating instrument, the Parenting Questionnaire (PQ), designed to measure attitudes about acceptable and unacceptable parenting practices. In Study 1, subject matter experts representing culturally diverse psychologists, parents, and college students were consulted to identify 110 items receiving high endorsement. In Study 2, items were administered to 1,398 undergraduate students to examine their factor structure and the effects of ethnicity and gender differences on PQ factors. In Study 3, test-retest reliability (N = 92) and convergent validity (N = 142) of the PQ factors were examined. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three factors (total of 63 items) with high internal consistencies that accounted for a moderate amount of total variance (R 2 = .38). The factors were Critical Feedback (26 items), Supportive Feedback (26 items), and Physical Discipline (11 items). Significant ethnicity and gender differences were found on the three PQ factors, as well as a significant interaction between ethnicity and gender on the Supportive Feedback factor. PQ factor scores demonstrated good temporal stability, internal consistency, and convergent validity. Overall findings suggest that the PQ is a reliable, stable, and valid measure of attitudes toward parenting with three distinct factors. Future research directions with parents are discussed.

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