PARENT-CHILD INTERACTION THERAPY
PCIT transforms parent-child relationships and resolves significant behavioral challenges in young children.
ABOUT PCIT
What is PCIT?
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. Parents who enroll in PCIT get their own personal trainer: a therapist who guides the parent-child interaction through a wireless earpiece. In a typical session, the therapist stays behind a one-way mirror and instructs parents through the earpiece as they play with and learn to discipline their child in an adjacent playroom. The live coaching catches ineffective parenting habits and helps parents practice “superparenting” skills, which combine frequent praise and attention for good behavior with a clear system of ignoring, warnings, and timeouts for bad.
This video from the University of Miami helps explain what PCIT looks like and why it works so well to resolve disruptive behavior
What does PCIT do?
PCIT is used to treat disruptive behavior in children ages 2-7 years old (an older child adaptation is available for children ages 7-10, see below for more information). Disruptive behavior includes, but is not limited to the following: inattention, hyperactivity, tantrums, anger outbursts, lying, poor communication, aggression, defiance, oppositional attitude, poor social skills, and disobedience. PCIT can be used to target one or all of these negative behaviors simultaneously.
Is PCIT effective?
PCIT is highly effective. Following graduation from the PCIT program, children fall within the normal range of child behavior and no longer meet criteria for a diagnosis of disruptive behavior. According to numerous clinical studies, families who complete PCIT see lasting improvements in child behavior: significantly less-frequent and less-intense tantrums, decreased aggression, less crying and whining, and less hyperactivity and inattention. Parents had less stress and enjoyed parenting more, and typically developed a closer relationship with their children.
How long does it take?
On average, successful completion of PCIT takes 3-6 months. However, it is not time-limited, meaning it could be longer or shorter depending on the parent and child’s progress.
How does PCIT work?
Each visit, caregivers rate their child's behavior using the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory, or ECBI ("ek-bee"). The ECBI score is then put on a graph to track progress and ensure therapeutic interventions are making a measurable, positive impact. Below are a few example graphs of recent PCIT graduates. As you can see, some children take longer than others, but consistent practice of PCIT at home will ultimately prove vital to the process. Most disruptive behavior scores when a child first sees us is typically very high, around 200. But theygradually decrease throughout the course of therapy and eventually end up in the average range, below 114. Most importantly, you'll see a marked difference in your child at home, school, and with others.
PCIT Adaptations
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Older Child (PCIT-OC):
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Older Child (PCIT-OC) is an adaptation of the standard PCIT framework designed specifically for addressing behavioral and emotional challenges in children ages 7 to 10. While it retains the core components of PCIT—such as improving parent-child interactions and managing disruptive behaviors—it is tailored to the developmental needs of older children. The model focuses on enhancing discipline techniques and reinforcing positive behaviors, with interventions that reflect the increased cognitive and emotional complexity of older children. The goal is to foster better communication, strengthen the parent-child relationship, and support the child in developing more effective coping and behavioral management strategies.
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Anxiety (CALM)
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Anxiety is an adaptation of PCIT designed forchildren with social anxiety, specific phobias/fears, excessive worry, and severeseparation anxiety. It is a parent-focused treatment designed to increase “brave”behavior by way of live parent-child coaching and gradual exposure with positivere inforcement.
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Selective Mutism/Social Anxiety (PCIT-SM)
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Selective Mutism (PCIT-SM) is a specialized adaptation of PCIT tailored to address selective mutism and/or social anxiety children. Selective mutism is a condition where a child consistently fails to speak in specific social situations despite speaking in other contexts, such as at home. PCIT-SM focuses on enhancing the parent-child relationship and building the child’s confidence in social settings through targeted interventions. It combines traditional PCIT strategies with techniques to gradually increase verbal communication and reduce anxiety in social interactions. The goal is to help children overcome selective mutism by improving communication skills and fostering supportive interactions with caregivers.