Parent-Child Interaction Therapy

Description of the Strategy

Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) treats disruptive behavior in preschool children using elements of relationship-enhancement and behavioral treatment approaches. As a form of parent training, PCIT is unique in its inclusion of the child in treatment and the in vivo coaching of the child's caregivers during treatment sessions. During coaching, the therapist observes the parent interacting with the child via a one-way mirror and provides guidance and feedback to the parent by speaking into a microphone that transmits the coaching to a receiver, called a bug-in-theear, worn by the parent like a hearing aid. In this way, parents receive encouragement and direction in parenting skills as they play with their child.

PCIT sessions are conducted once a week and are ...