Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a behaviorally based therapy that involves enhancing the parent-child relationship by transforming the interaction between the two parties. The target sector for this form of therapy includes young children with conduct-disorder issues.  PCIT uses child directed interaction (CDI) to promote interaction between the parent and the child in a playful manner. It also emphasizes parent directed interaction (PDI), which empowers the parent with behavior techniques through a therapeutic model. PCIT was developed by Sheila Eyberg, Cheryl McNeil, Toni Hembree-Kigin, Anthony Urquiza, Robin Gurwitch, and Beverly Funderburk.

• Therapeutic Method of PCIT
• Elements and Skills of PCIT
• Resources Related to Parent-Child Interaction Therapy

Therapeutic Method of PCIT

In PCIT, therapists strive to teach parents new skills to allow them to provide a beneficial environment of caring and nurturing behavior to their child. The goal is to allow the child to relinquish negative behaviors in favor of pro-social, positive behavior patterns. PCIT has been shown to positively affect the behavior of children with issues including aggression, defiance, temper, and non-compliance. It provides tools to the parents in order to help them better manage these symptoms. This unique method promotes healthy relationships between the parent and child and is a widely used intervention mechanism for many at-risk families. Foster families, adoptive families, and those in the child welfare system have come to rely on this highly effective treatment method.

Elements and Skills of PCIT

PCIT is comprised of two essential elements. The Relationship Enhancement element of PCIT teaches the parents how to minimize negative characteristics within the relationship and guides them in developing new behaviors and communication practices that provide support, encouragement, and nurturing. The Strategies for Compliance element of PCIT emphasizes effective and safe discipline techniques that can be used to manage the child’s behavior. The parents are encouraged to put these skills into practice until they can readily rely on them. Children who are subjected to these tactics learn how to adapt their behavior accordingly and most families see vast improvement in child behavior and the parent-child relationship. Children between the ages of two and seven have been shown to benefit the most from this type of treatment.

Resources Related to Parent-Child Interaction Therapy:

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