Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy was Developed by: "PCIT was originally developed by Sheila Eyberg in the late 1970s incorporating components of behavior therapy, play therapy, family systems, and social learning theory. Cheryl McNeil and Toni Hembree-Kigin published a step-by-step guide for clinicians in 1995. Anthony Urquiza developed a treatment manual and videotapes for working with high-risk and maltreating families. Robin Gurwitch and Beverly Funderburk have developed a similar manual with videotapes as well as manuals for PCIT for use in a group format and for use with older children. Gurwitch and Funderburk have also developed criteria for PCIT therapists to ensure coaching skill acquisition and treatment fidelity." ~ Excerpt from nctsnet.org
Overview of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT): Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an empirically-supported treatment for conduct-disordered young children that places emphasis on improving the quality of the parent-child relationship and changing parent-child interaction patterns. In PCIT, parents are taught specific skills to establish a nurturing and secure relationship with their child while increasing their child’s prosocial behavior and decreasing negative behavior. This treatment focuses on two basic interactions: Child Directed Interaction (CDI) is similar to play therapy in that parents engage their child in a play situation with the goal of strengthening the parent-child relationship; Parent Directed Interaction (PDI) resembles clinical behavior therapy in that parents learn to use specific behavior management techniques as they play with their child.
~ Excerpt from http://pcit.phhp.ufl.edu
Resources Related to Parent-Child Interaction Therapy:
Article about PCIT Herschell, A., Calzada, E., Eyberg, S.M., & McNeil, C.B. (2002). Parent-child interaction therapy: New directions in research. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 9, 9-16.
PCIT
PCIT Training
UC Davis PCIT
Wikipedia's Page about Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
PCIT Listserve: The following is information about signing-up to be a member of the Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) Listserve. To sign up to the PCIT listserve, you will need send the following information to the listserve manager (listproc@ucdavis.edu) on a single line only: sub pcit-group = enter your name. An example for Sheila Eyberg signing up to this listserve would be as follows: sub pcit-group Sheila Eyberg. When you have completed the 'sign-up' process, you will receive additional information about the PCIT listerve
Books Related to Parent-Child Interaction Therapy:
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This treatment option sounds very promising. I am always intrigued when two different types of therapy are combined into one. Pulling strengths from two different methods often makes up for the weaknesses of both. Does anyone have any personal experience with this sort of therapy? It sounds like it would be a good one if both parties are committed to seeing the situation through to a beneficial conclusion for the child.
I am wondering if anyone has ever used this sort of therapy successfully with adopted children. I currently have a client who is adopted and is acting out a lot. His parents and I are having a difficult time reaching him and figuring out a solution to his behavioral and emotional problems. I'd really love some feedback on the effectiveness of this treatment in adopted children.
I have used this therapy successfully two different times. One happened to be with a child who was adopted while the other was a biological child. With the adopted child, we had some good results. This child was adopted as an eight month old from an orphanage in Russia. He was the favorite in the orphanage, so he had a nutritional and emotional advantage over many of the other children that are adopted from Russia. However, he still struggled with abandonment issues as an elementary aged child and was acting out in school and at home. This treatment did wonders for this child and his adoptive family.
I, unlike Art, have not been as successful with PCIT. Perhaps my training was lacking or my personality just does not mesh with this sort of therapy. I am going to read the books that were suggested, though, to see where I may have gone wrong. I am so glad, though, that Art was able to help the family he mentioned. Even reaching one family through out one's career is a wonderful accomplishment. However, I'm sure he helps many more with his professional and caring attitude. I know his clients are fortunate to have him on their side!
I have been doing PCIT for four years. With a long history of helping parents with their parenting nothing has come close to this in terms of success. It has given so many parents help in the moment as they struggle with their child's behavior. I have also had the opportunity to use it several times with foster and adoptive families. It is particularly useful with this population since the first phase of PCIT is all about strengthening the attachment. Parents learn how to meet the needs of children who may have attachment issues in successful ways.
This can be a useful therapy for very young children. It does have some empirical support. Unfortunately, many children who enter therapy are brought by parents at an older age.