Author: Emily Frey | Major: Psychology | Semester: Fall 2024

My name is Emily Frey. I am an honors psychology student in my last undergraduate semester, and I will graduate this Fall. My research explores Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), specifically the adaption made to PCIT known as Parent-Child Interaction Therapy with Toddlers (PCIT-T). Dropout rates are high in PCIT, and while researchers have yet to compare the dropout rates to PCIT-T, the assumption is that this problem remains persistent. My research looks at racial matching to 1) decrease dropout rates, 2) have more completed sessions, and 3) have higher positive child developmental outcomes within racially matched pairs in PCIT-T. This is important as PCIT-T has been proven to be effective in increasing attachment security among young children and preventing maladaptive behaviors from developing in the future.

I traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee, where the annual PCIT International Convention was held for 2024. I had to send an abstract to be accepted and had the amazing opportunity to present a poster at the conference. During the three-day conference, I attended many symposiums. Not only was this great exposure to the world of academia, but it also helped me learn more in-depth information about my research topic (PCIT-T). I could see the different implications and adaptations that PCIT-T has, yet it all came back to the core components of the therapy. This was particularly helpful to me as I prepare to defend my thesis in November to fill the gaps in my understanding of the topic and to teach me exclusive information that I wouldn’t have been able to receive elsewhere. At these talks, there was so much passion for the subject that it helped re-ignite my excitement in research. I was introduced to many important clinicians and researchers, many of whom I have cited in my paper. It was amazing to see them in person and hear about their current work.

PCIT International Conference Poster Presentation

While presenting, I was able to verbalize my research for the first time among professionals in a low-stakes environment. It was more conversational than I had expected, which helped make me a lot less nervous. Many people were interested in my research and affirmed the importance of further research to explore potential solutions. I learned that many other clinicians have piloted studies, including my research topics (PCIT with minoritized groups). They ran into the same problems I faced in my research: a very small sample size, which resulted in no significant results for my thesis. However, it was comforting to hear published authors say, “No findings ARE findings.”

For students planning on defending a thesis, I suggest presenting a poster first if they have the opportunity. It is great exposure and a great way to practice. Not to mention, I was the only undergraduate student there which helped out with the networking, as many were impressed with my initiative to go to an international conference and present as an undergrad. As for my future plans, I am graduating this December, a year and a half early. While I have the time, I plan on applying to internships related to organizational/industrial psychology and preparing for graduate school applications for the Fall of 2025 school year. I am very excited about the next steps of my academic career. I am grateful I could experience an international conference where so many accomplished and diverse individuals gathered for the same mission. Overall, this experience demonstrated my desire to continue learning and pursuing further education in Psychology.