Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a research and evidence-based therapy treatment method that evaluates and improves the back-and-forth communication between caregivers and children. The way in which parents and children engage has a significant impact on how children learn to regulate their own emotions, feel secure and attach in healthy ways to their caregivers, and learn trust and safety. Once a child has these healthy and solid foundations with their caregivers they are capable of exploring their environment and developing a positive sense of self, always knowing they have a home-base that they are anchored to.
Parent Child Interaction treatment can be helpful for children with emotional regulation, outbursts, and behavioral challenges. This is typically recommended for children between the ages of 2-7 years of age, and involves learning new parental skills on how to manage a child’s difficult emotional and behavioral reactions, and build stronger connections and attachments. Clinicians will observe a parent and child interacting, and work with the parent in a non-judgmental approach of helping guide them on ways they can practice skills with their children in a therapeutic setting to create positive responses.