What is Child Interaction Therapy?
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What Is Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)?
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based treatment for children with behavioral problems, ages 2 through 7. It is a mixture of play and behavioral therapy where the child, parent, and mental health professional work together in consistent coaching sessions. The mental health therapist observes the parent interacting with their child from another room, providing new skills to apply to manage your child’s behavior in their ear.
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Treatment Phases
The treatment plan is dependent upon what is right for you and your child, however, PCIT is usually split up into two phases.
Phase one is Child-Directed Interaction Phase (CDI) where the focus is to enhance the parent-child relationship. This is done through play. Here, parents learn to follow their child’s lead in a positive, supportive way. This phase emphasizes:
- Positive communication
- Attentive engagement
- Imitating and reinforcing your child’s interests during play
By stepping into your child’s world and allowing them to guide the interaction, you strengthen trust and create a nurturing environment where they feel heard, valued, and safe.
Phase two is the Parent-Directed Interaction Phase (PDI) where the focus shifts to consistent behavior management once a good foundation is built. In this stage, parents learn how to:
- Deliver clear, effective commands
- Set appropriate boundaries
- Follow through with consistent consequences for challenging behaviors such as aggression or destruction
The goal is to empower parents to create a supportive and structured home environment.
What are the benefits of PCIT?
Here are some of the desirable and obtainable outcomes of PCIT for your child:
- Decreased frequency of tantrums and aggressive behavior
- Decreased duration of tantrums
- Decreased defiance
- Decreased negative attention-seeking behaviors (such as whining)
- Increased feelings of security, safety, and attachment to parent
- Increased attention span
- Increased self-esteem
- Increased pro-social behaviors (such as sharing)
- Improved behavior in public
Here are some of the desirable and obtainable outcomes of PCIT for a parent:
- Decreased frustration
- Increased calmness
- Increased confidence in discipline
PCIT is an effective approach to improving parent-child relationships and managing challenging emotional or behavioral problems in young children. If you’re struggling with your child’s behavior, please reach out to us to schedule an evaluation with our mental health counselor.
Wondering About Developmental Milestones?
Have questions about your child’s development, or wondering if a certain diagnosis may be a fit? Try out our developmental screening tool— it’s a fast, free way to get a snapshot of your child’s progress on his or her developmental milestones.