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Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

The Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a treatment program for young children with conduct disorders. The program was designed for children ages 2-7 years with externalizing behavior disorders. PCIT places emphasis on improving the quality of the parent-child relationship and changing the parent-child patterns. Parents are taught specific skills to establish or strengthen a nurturing and secure relationship with their child while encouraging prosocial behavior and discouraging negative behavior. The treatment has two phases. In the first phase, child-directed interaction (CDI), parents learn nondirective play skills to be used to engage their child in a play situation with the goal of strengthening the parent-child relationship. In the second phase, parent-directed interaction (PDI), parents learn to direct the child’s behavior with clear, age-appropriate instructions and consistent consequences. Ideally, a therapist is able to observe the sessions and give parents feedback on how to improve interactions with their child. PCIT is administered in 1 hour sessions for 15 consecutive weeks.

Goal / Mission

The goal of PCIT is to improve the behavior of children suffering from conduct disorders by strengthening the parent-child relationship and teaching parenting and discipline skills.

Results / Accomplishments

Multiple randomized controlled trials have evaluated the effectiveness of PCIT. In one study, parents in the PCIT group interacted more positively with their child and were more successful in gaining their child’s compliance at 4-month follow-up than parents in the control group (p<0.01). In addition, parents in the PCIT group reported significant improvements in their child’s behavior from baseline to 4-month follow-up compared with controls (p<0.01). PCIT mothers reported significantly fewer child externalizing behaviors and fewer child behavior problems (p=0.003) and fewer disruptive behaviors compared with mother’s in the control group.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
University of Oklahoma Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Primary Contact
PCIT International
6814 NW 81 Blvd
Gainesville, Florida 32635
pcit.international@gmail.com
http://www.pcit.org
Topics
Community / Social Environment
Health / Children's Health
Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders
Organization(s)
University of Oklahoma Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Source
SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP)
Date of publication
2007
Location
USA
For more details
http://legacy.nreppadmin.net/ViewIntervention.aspx...
Target Audience
Children

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An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.
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