Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

In Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), parents are coached by a trained therapist in behavior-management and relationship skills. PCIT is a program for two- to seven-year-old children and their parents or caregivers that aims to decrease externalizing child behavior problems, increase positive parenting behaviors, and improve the quality of the parent-child relationship. During weekly sessions, therapists coach caregivers in skills such as child-centered play, communication, increasing child compliance, and problem-solving. Therapists use “bug-in-the-ear” technology to provide live coaching to parents or caregivers from behind a one-way mirror (there are some modifications in which live same-room coaching is also used). Parents or caregivers progress through treatment as they master specific competencies, thus there is no fixed length of treatment. Most families are able to achieve mastery of the program content in 12 to 20 one-hour sessions.