Understanding Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

How PCIT Helps Strengthen Parent-Child Relationships and Improve Behavior

What You'll Learn:

What Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is and who it helps
The two key modules of PCIT
Why PCIT prioritizes parents as the agents of change
The benefits and potential challenges of virtual PCIT

PCIT is a highly effective treatment for children with behavioral challenges.

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a highly effective treatment designed for children aged 2-7 with behavioral challenges such as extreme tantrum behavior, aggression, difficulty following directions, and defiance. Parents who are dealing with disruptive behavioral concerns typically experience guilt, fatigue, frustration, and eventually a rift in their relationship with their child. They increasingly find it difficult to enjoy time with their child the way they once did because typical parenting strategies have not been effective.

PCIT strengthens the parent-child relationship while addressing behavioral concerns.

PCIT focuses on improving the relationship between you and your child while addressing behavioral challenges. In PCIT, we work together to provide you with a specialized set of skills through two treatment modules. The first module is Child-Directed Interaction (CDI), which focuses on building positive, nurturing interactions and modeling desired behaviors. The second module is Parent-Directed Interaction (PDI), which focuses on setting clear expectations, enforcing consistent discipline, and managing challenging behaviors. Through live coaching and feedback, you’ll learn how to create a calm, positive, and structured environment that promotes more of the healthy behaviors you want to see. The goal of PCIT is to improve your child’s behavior and strengthen your bond, all while fostering a sense of confidence in your parenting abilities.

PCIT is unique because parents are the most effective agents of change.

PCIT is different from other interventions because it acknowledges the parent as the most effective agent of change. When parents are not closely involved in treatment, difficult behaviors do not tend to improve. Research has shown that it is more effective to give parents the skills to be the therapist for their child. For this reason, the therapist is not in the room or visible to the child for the majority of the session. This allows the therapist to see exactly what the parent experiences and to more effectively provide in-the-moment coaching that will better translate to use outside of sessions.

PCIT is just as effective in a virtual format as it is in-person.

PCIT has been shown to be as effective in a virtual format as it is in-person. In fact, there are some additional positives to virtual treatment. The family is in their home environment where challenging behaviors typically occur. It also reduces the burden of commuting to sessions and the related complexities that often adds for busy families.

Virtual PCIT has benefits and potential challenges.

There may also be drawbacks to virtual treatment, such as not being able to create a private space for the child and caregiver to engage in treatment without distractions. Families must also have access to quality internet connection and necessary devices, such as headphones. We can discuss further whether virtual treatment is a good fit for your child.