Evidence Based Practices

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (Ages 2 – 8)

A Better Way has recently added Parent-Child Interaction Therapy or PCIT to our programming. PCIT is a proven approach that helps parents build connection with, and set limits for, their spirited children.

 

The Nature of Parent-Child Relations In Healthy Families

The professional literature in recent years has been replete with articles reporting the significance of the parent-child relationship in such areas as resiliency, bonding, attachment and healthy child development. It is also clear that the experience of young children in the primary grades of school and pre-school, is significantly affected by the parent-child relationship in the home.

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy has demonstrated its effectiveness in enhancing the positive parent-child relationship, reducing parental stress, and improving child behavior at home and at school. It has produced positive outcomes across cultures and in different languages. Longitudinal studies have found lasting results over a four-year period after the therapy experience. In many cases the results have not only lasted, but improvement continued well after treatment ended.

 

What is Parent – Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)?

Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a positive and intensive treatment program designed to help both parents and children. The program works with both parents and children together to improve the quality of the parent-child relationship and to teach parents the skills necessary to manage their child’s behavioral problems.

The Parent-Child Interaction Therapy consists of two parts:

• 1.     Relationship Enhancement and
• 2.     Discipline

PCIT Relationship Enhancement

In the Relationship Enhancement component of the program, parents are taught and “coached” how to decrease the negative aspects of their relationship with their child and develop consistently positive and supportive communication.

PCIT Discipline

In the Discipline component of the program, parents are taught and “coached” in the elements of effective, discipline and child management skills. Parents are taught to set and maintain limits as well as to address problem behaviors in a firm and loving manner. In both components of this program, parents learn the specific skills they need, and are given the opportunity to practice these skills during therapy until mastery is acquired and the child’s behavior is improved.